Two Big Wishes Come True!
by LexiKiryuu
Summary: Well. . . My first wish came true, Which was for me to be able to read thing's or people out of books. But, my second wish is coming true, I am going to the Inkworld! But what will happen with me in a different world? I have no clue. I will also have Tristan around. I wonder what it will be like to meet the girl I hate the most in the Inkworld? Let's see!
1. Chapter 1

"Okay. . . what else should I bring? I've got two bags, but what should I bring?"  
"Do you got L.C? A jacket? Some tank-tops? shorts? T-Shirts? Note books? Undies? Bras?"  
I nodded.  
"Yes to all of those." I said.  
Tomorrow is the day before my birthday. And, I am going to the Inkworld! Tristan, the Shadowman I read out of the forbidden game, was helping me pack.  
"What are you going to tell your family?" I stopped what I was doing and started thinking.  
"Well. . . I'll leave tomorrow night, so. . . I'll text blackcat tomorrow, and I might just leave a note for everyone. . . What do you-"  
"It's cheesy."  
"Really? Then, what do you think I should do?" He laid down on the couch with his arms under his head.  
"I don't know. . . Just say bye to them."  
I stood up, grabbed a pillow and pressed it down over his face. When he got it off, he stared at me.  
"Why did you just do that?!" He yelled.  
"Because you're stupid! I can't just say 'Bye' to them! They'll wonder why I said that!"  
"Fine. . . Then do the notes. . ." He pouted. I did just that.

**Well! I know it was short, but I just wanted to put up this!**


	2. Chapter 2

The next night, after everyone was asleep, I grabbed my bags and got ready to go.

"Are you ready?" He ask. I nodded and grabbed his hand, tightly. "Close your eyes. . . Picture what you think it would look like." Tristan whispered in my ear. I did as he told me. He pulled me closer and I closed my eyes.

I started to think about the wayless woods. Ever since I read Dustfinger home, Tristan has been going everywhere with me. He does annoy me, that's when I press a pillow against his face or throwing one at him. If there wasn't any around, I'd push and he'd shut up.

"Didn't I say to picture the Inkworld?"

"Oops." I started to think about the big, huge trees. The pond with the water nymphs. The fire elves. I felt a cool breeze blow through my hair. . .

Wait. . . Did I really feel that? I started to open my eyes until he closed them.

"Don't open your eyes until I tell you to." He whispered. I nodded. The next thing I knew, though, I heard birds. Why do I hear birds? It's night and I'm inside, unless. . . "Okay. . . You can open your eyes now." He said, but not in a whisper.

I slowly opened my eyes and let go of him.

Blue.

I have never seen a sky so blue.

And the trees. I have never seen trees so green and tall.

"Wow." I said. I walked over to the fire elves honey comb. I turned to look at Tristan. "We better get going before the nightmares come." I told him.

He ran his fingers through his white hair.

"Okay. . . But how do we get out of here?" I looked around and pointed.

"That way!"

"Your just pointing at random and don't say your not because I can read your mind, remember?" I glared at him, grabbed his hand and started walking the same way that I pointed.

* * *

We spent three days in those woods.

I was scared at night, but I knew that with the fire and Tristan, I would be safe. When we got to the Motley Folks camp, the first person I looked for was the Black Prince. And, I found him.

"So, your that Lexi? Yeah. . . Dustfinger has said a lot about you." He said. I smiled, but ended up falling over from being so tired.

The Black Prince caught me.

"Nice. . . I am shocked that he would. . . Sorry but I'm tired, so I'm going to sleep." I whispered as I fell asleep.

**Sorry that it's so short but I'm trying to make more time for me since I really haven't written much of this one down in a note book! If you want more then give me ideas people!**


	3. Chapter 3

When I woke up, I wasn't outside anymore. I looked around and had no clue where I was.

"Well. . . You're finally awake!" Said a voice that I didn't know. I looked at where it came from to see a man as black as night.

"Wh-. . . Who are you?" I ask shyly, while trying to move away.

I was scared of him. I didn't know him or see anyone I knew. He walked over to me.

"You may call me The Black Prince!" He bowed.

I was shocked.

How could this be? Wait. . . He could help me find Dustfinger and Farid!

"You can call me Lexi. . . Would you by any chance know where Dustfinger and Farid are?"

"Yeah. . . Why do you want to know?" He straightened up and looked at me. I stood up, stood right in front of him and seemed as tall as him as I could which was hard since he's so tall.

"I need to find them." I said. He just stared down at me and that look was starting to really scare me. "Please?" I ask in a little voice.

"Well. . . You are in luck. I'm going into Ombra and there's someone there who might take you to Roxane's, but if not, I will take you."

I got a big smile on my face.

"Really? Thank you so much!" I yelled as I wrapped my arms around him in a hug. "Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you!"

He chuckled a little and pushed me away.

" Alright, alright. . . Now come on. We have to get going." He told me.

I nodded, looked over to find my backpack, picked it up and put it on.

"I'm ready!"

"Wait right there. . . Before we go, you will need to change. People will stare at us with you looking like that. . . After a while, we can get you a dress, but for right now, you can wear one of the other girls dresses. What would you say your best at?"

I stood there, thinking as hard as I could.

"I can sing?" I told him. It sounded like I was asking him, though. He chuckled.

"Okay. . . Come on. I'll get you one."

* * *

I frowned at the dress they put me in.

"It's too big. . . I don't like it."

"It will have to do for now. You can get one that fits you later." I kept on pouting, but followed him.

We walked. While we were walking, something big nudged my back, so I stopped and turned around to see a big black bear. Any other girl would run, screaming, but I just gasped and wrapped my arms around his big, furry neck.

"Oh, my god! Oh, my god! Your just as cute as I thought you would be!" I said to him. I had always wanted to see this black bear. The Prince thought it was funny.

"You can ride him if you want. He won't bite unless I tell him to." I looked up at him, smiling like an idiot.

"Really? Can I really ride him?" He nodded. When I got on The Black Bears back, he didn't mind. When I was on, he just walked on. I was so happy.

When we got to the gates, though, he had to stay outside.

"Now, when we go in, hold onto me so you don't get lost, alright?" The Black Prince told me. I got shy again, but I still nodded and grabbed his hand. We walked through lots and lots of people. Mostly women and children.

When we got to the stands, I had to look as we walked past them.

When I saw a stand with a lot of necklaces, I had to go see, so I let go of his hand and ran off to look. I looked at them and I liked them a lot better then the ones in the other world I came from.

"See anything you like ma'am?"

I looked at the lady running the stand. She looked like she was in her early 20's, with a baby in her arms. I looked back down and picked one up.

"I would like this one, please?"

"Mother! She likes the one I made!" A little voice yelled. I looked to see a little girl, about five or so, running over to where I was standing.

"Now, yes she is, but sh. You'll wake up your sister." The lady holding the baby whispered.

I take it that she was talking about the baby who looked no older then a few months old. The mother looked really skinny so they most likely don't have much money and with the food they do have, she gives to the five year old and the rest she must eat to breast feed the baby.

I held up the necklace.

"I will take this one, but I have no money. I do have something that you could use, though." I took off my backpack, dug in it and pulled out all the food I had in there before I had left home. I gave it all to the mom.

"But, miss. . . You don't have to do this!"

"But. . . I do. You have two little girls to feed. Please, take it. I insist."

She smiled at me and nodded.

"Thank you for this!" I stood up and Prince put the necklace around my neck for me.

"Thanks!" I said.

"I thought I told you to hold onto me so you didn't get lost." He glanced down at me.

I froze. I was now in trouble.

"Oops!"

We started walking, again.

"You are very nice. Just a little nicer then Dustfinger and the boy said you were." I looked up at him.

I can't believe it. I could see Farid saying it, but Dustfinger? Wow. Now that really shocked me. He stopped walking and when I looked around, I realized why.

We were in the courtyard.

"Now. . . You stay here while I go look for her. . . And don't move." I nodded. He walked off, leaving me all alone in a crowd of people I didn't know.

"Huh. . . Might as well make some money." I whispered.

First I started singing songs like 'Love Story', 'Our Song' and so on. After awhile, I felt like doing the only magic trick I knew. I took four mint things, hid one up my sleeve and put the other three on the ground.

"Come try to be smarter then me! You can give me money if you want, but if you don't want to then you don't have to!" I yelled. Lots of people played. It took forever for The Black Prince to come back, at least two or three hours.

"Well, she won't do it so come on and I'll take you." I put the mints back, grabbed all my money and held on to The Prince. When we were passing the stand with the necklaces, I ran over and looked at the five year old.

"Do you think you could help me pick a necklace for a friend of mine? I haven't seen him for awhile, so I want to give him a little something." She grinned up at me, nodded and started looking.

She found one and held it up for me to see.

"This one! You should give him this one!"

"Perfect! I think so, too. . . Thank you very much!" I smiled down at her. I reached into my bag and grabbed a cloth bag of coins. I gave it to her.

Me and the Prince started walking away when I heard the mom yell, "Wait! This is too much!"

"No, its not. . . That is for two, after all." I yelled back at her.


	4. Chapter 4

We walked out and when we were, I climbed up on top of Bear.

"You might just be too nice."

"Well, hey! It's better then being mean!" It started getting late, so I kept getting tired.

After awhile, I heard the Black Prince say, "We're here."

I was laying on Bear, but after he said that, I sat up.

A farm.

I forgot about Roxane living on a farm. I also feel like I'm forgetting something else, But I don't remember. When we went through the little gate, I remembered and it was too late. The noise was so loud that I thought that I was going to pass out. I ducked down as far as I could on Bear, trying to block out that stupid goose!

When it finally stopped, I peeked up to see the ones that I was looking for. Before I called out to them, though, I remembered something else.

Whatever happened to Tristan?

"Lexi. . . But. . . Why are you here?" Before I could wonder anymore, Farid was standing right next to me. All I could do was stare at him. I jumped on him and made us fall on the ground.

I laid on top of him with my arms around his neck.

"Farid! Oh, my god! I missed you! I just had to come and see you!"

"Lexi. . . I. . . I can't breathe. . ." Farid whispered.

"Oops!" I pulled away, stood up and went running for Dustfinger. I hugged him, but he didn't hug me back. I looked up at him.

"Why are you here? I thought we would never see you again."

I smiled.

"I'm here because I really missed you and Farid! I couldn't stay away!"

He pushed me away, shaking his head. I stopped smiling and cocked my head to the side to look at him.

"What?" I whispered.

"Lexi. . . I have Roxane now. Not you. . . You just don't understand." He sighed. I puffed out my cheeks.

"I would call you something, but I don't say cuss words. . . I'm going to sleep with Farid. . . I am really tired." I walked off. I held onto Farid and pouted. "Farid! Dustfinger's being mean!" I cried.

I knocked him down again so he held onto me.

"He didn't mean to. . . He just didn't think he would ever see you again."

"Really? Huh. . . Well, anyways. . . I got you something!"

I dug to find it and when I did, I gave it to him. When he took it, I noticed the bracelet I gave him before I read him back here. I gasped.

"What? Did you think I wouldn't wear it?" I smirked at him. Dustfinger and the Black Prince talked while I told Farid what's happened since he and Dustfinger left. I was getting tired, so I laid my head down on Farid's lap.

"Are you awake?" I opened my eyes, looked up at him and gave him a sleepy smile.

"I'm awake. . . Just really tired. . . So, do you like it here?" He didn't answer me, though, because Dustfinger picked me up.

"Huh?"

"I thought you weren't able to read yourself into books. . . So, why and how did you get here?" My head popped up because I remembered.

"Tristan!" I whispered, remembering that I haven't seen him since I passed out in the Black Princes arms. I looked at the Black Prince. "Hey! When you first saw me, did you see a guy with white hair?" I ask him, but he just shook his head.

"Who's he? Who are you talking about?" Dustfinger ask me.

"Dustfinger. . . Tristan is the masked man from my dream. He's the one who brought me here." I whispered, but I didn't want to wait any longer, so I went limp all over.

"Lexi? Are you alright?"

"Yeah, but. . . You know how I am with my sleep. I love sleeping and I'm really tired." I cried. He set me down and it almost made me fall. We said bye and me and Prince left. When we got back, I changed into my PJ's. Which is pajama pants and a big T-shirt.

We ate and I was ready to go to sleep.

"Okay, time to go to bed. You can sleep in the tent."

I looked up at him.

"But. . . Can't I sleep outside? I really want to."

"Fine, but. . . Doria! Come here!" Prince yelled. I flinched at first since I was sitting right next to him. A young man came running over.

"Yes, Prince?"

"Doria, this is Lexi and she wants to sleep outside. So, I'm trusting you to keep her safe while she sleeps. . . Can you do that?" I just stared up at him. He looked down at me, and nodded.

"Yes, I can. . . But why do I have to?" I stood up, but not without almost falling, and glared at him with my hands on my hips.

"Why are you asking? Why not just do it?" I ask him, being kinda sassy.

Prince just smiled.

"Don't worry, I'd just rather be safe then sorry." Prince reassured him. I yawned.

I don't know how, but the next thing I knew, me and Doria were under a tree.

"Here. . . Lay down, go to sleep. You can cover up with this blanket." I sat up and stared at him.

"No."

"No? What do you mean 'No'?"

"If your going to stay up, I'll stay up. . . If you want me to sleep, then you sleep, too." I insisted. He shook his head and sighed. "There is one thing you should know about me, Doria. . . Once I say I'm going to do something, nothing can change my mind about it." He looked at me, having the same look that Dustfinger gave me a lot.

"Fine. . . But don't get up unless I know about it. . . Alright?"

I smiled and nodded. We both laid down, but I tried not to cuddle. I ended up turning on my side and cuddling with him and I was out cold. When I woke up in the morning, Doria was still asleep. I got up and went pee. When I came back, he was sleeping still. I had taken off my T-shirt when I was sleeping because I'm not wearing it now. I sat down and watched Doria as he slept.

Is he the same Doria that loved Meggie? If so, he is cute, but not really as cute as Dustfinger and Farid.

"How long have you been awake?"

I jumped.

"Oh. . . Uh. . . Not long. Did I wake you?" He sat up and shook his head.

"No. . . But you should have woken me up because I'm supposed to keep an eye on you. How am I supposed to do that if I'm sleeping while your awake?"

I giggled, smiled at him and gave him a hug.

"Don't worry! I'll be fine!" I said, "See? Now. . . Chase me." I stood up and started running.

"Hey! Get back here!"


	5. Chapter 5

I heard him yell from behind me. I couldn't stop laughing and looking behind me as I ran. But, I got stopped when I ran into someone. It made me fall on my butt.

"Ouch! That hurts!" I glared at the one I ran into, but I soon smiled. "Dustfinger! Farid!" I yelled, but got up and hid behind Dustfinger. "Sh! I'm not here!"

Doria came, but didn't say anything to them. I poked Dustfinger in the side. He jerked away. I did it again and again.

"Hey! Stop that!"

"Farid? Can you go find my back pack? I lost it and I'm as blind as a bat."

Farid nodded and ran off. I grabbed Dustfinger's hand and ran into the trees.

"Again? Last time you were scared to do it." I pulled him down a little bit and I gave him a peck on the lips.

"Last time, in my world, if someone saw us, then you would go to jail. . . But it's okay in this world. So, I'm not scared anymore."

We kissed and kissed. We were so making out, until he pulled away.

"No. . . Roxane. I have her and I don't want to cheat on her." I looked at him in the eyes. Ever since I first looked into his eyes, I could never tell what color they were. I always thought that they were a color of they're own.

"It's okay. . . I understand. . . Go on and find Farid. I'll be there in a little bit." I smiled weakly at him. He nodded and left me.

I stood there for a few minutes before following him, But I felt a sharp pain in my left side that made me stop. I put my hand over where it hurt, looked down and pulled my hand away slowly to see a lot of blood. I screamed as loud as I could and fell to my knees. In the tree in front of me, a knife stuck out. I was feeling very light headed. I started to pass out, but I never hit the hard ground. I opened my eyes to see Dustfinger staring back down at me. He must have heard me scream.

"Lexi! Lexi, can you hear me? Lexi!" Dustfinger said urgently.

"Dustfinger. . . It hurts. . ." I whispered. He picked me up and started running. I was starting to see black spots.

I closed my eyes and opened them, again to see three worried faces. Dustfinger, Farid and The Black Prince.

"Look. . . She's awake!" Farid yelled.

"Sh. . . Don't be too loud!" Dustfinger said. They were trying to stop the bleeding. I closed my eyes and opened them again to see trees moving by. I was riding on someones back. I gripped his shoulders. "So, your finally awake. . . We're on our way to Roxane's. She'll fix you up.

"Are you doing this because you know I hate her?" I ask him. He didn't say anything for awhile.  
"That's not the reason. . . Would you really rather go see Roxane or die?"

"Well, to tell you the truth. . . I would rather die." He bounced a little, but it was enough to hurt. "Hey! Fine. . . But nothing that I have to drink or I will really rather die."

"Alright. . . But no being mean to her or I will never see you, again. . . Got it?"

I pouted, but nodded.

"It hurts. . . How much longer?"

Right then, he stopped walking.

"Well. . . We are here now." I lifted my head and saw Farid.

"Dustfinger. . . Let me ride on Farid's back, please." He put me down. I slowly walked over to Farid, Gently pulled on his shirt and he let me get on his back.

"Are you alright? Your pale." Farid ask, worriedly. It made me happy to know that he was worried about me. I tightly wrapped my arms around his neck.

"I'm fine. Don't worry about! I am a very strong girl! I am always pale, too." I whispered into his ear. He shivered, which made me giggle. I must of zoned because the next thing I knew, Farid was laying me down on a bed. It hurt, but I didn't want to say it because then he would feel bad, if it was Dustfinger then I wouldn't hold back.

Roxane came over, shooed them out of the room and looked at my wound.

"Tell me if it hurts. I will need to know." She said. I just nodded. I have to be nice to her or Dustfinger will be really mad at me. I flinched.

"Ouch. . ." I whispered, trying not to cry or yell. Trying not to cry was the hardest part because it really hurt.

"Here. . . Drink this and it won't hurt. I promise."

"Will it taste bad? I can't put things that don't taste good into my mouth."

"Well. . . You remind me of someone I know who is the same way, so it won't taste bad, at all. . . I promise." She told me. I took the cup and drank it. When it was gone, She put it on the bedside table. It really didn't taste bad, but something she said made me wonder.

"Who do I remind you of, if you don't mind me asking?" I ask.

She smiled at me.

"Wow. So polite. . . Well, you remind me of Dustfinger. . . Whenever he was sick, I would give him medicine, but he wouldn't like it because it was too gross."

That made me smile just thinking about it. She put stuff on it and wrapped it up. When she was done, she let someone come in and that someone was Dustfinger.

"Hey. . . I'm shocked Farid and Prince didn't come in." He sat down on the bed next to me with his back against the wall.

"I sent them back to the camp to tell the others that you were going to live." I giggled. "You should probably go to sleep."

"Okay. . . But please stay here at least until I fall asleep? Please? I need someone here with me." I said. I looked up at him, he was looking down at me.

"I guess. . . But only until you fall asleep." I smiled and leaned over on him. He wrapped one arm around me so I could get closer to him. I felt warm and safe when I was like this with him. I would kiss him if it wasn't for Roxane.

I was out in no time.


	6. Chapter 6

When I woke up in the morning, he was still there. My head was on his lap, his hand on my shoulder and he was still out.

He looked so cute!

I stayed like that until I saw him watching me.

"Good morning sleepy head!" I whispered, with a smile.

"Morning. . . How long have you been awake?"

"Um. . . I think half an hour to an hour."

His jaw dropped and I giggled.

"Why didn't you wake me up? Why did you just watch me sleep?" He ask me. I sat up, but ended up feeling a sharp pain in my side.

"I couldn't help it. . . You were so cute while you were asleep. Besides, you needed the sleep. Remember how you barely slept in my world?"

"I couldn't sleep because I wanted to go home." I smiled at him. This is the Dustfinger I always loved. I stood up on the bed, jumped off and went running for outside. When I was outside, I just stood there and let the sun shine down one me.

"Hey! You shouldn't have done that! You could have made it start bleeding again!" He yelled as he came running out after me, but he stopped when he saw what I was doing. I just stood there in the open sunlight. When I knew he was watching me, I turned around and smiled.

"Hi! I miss Farid. . . Can we go now?" I ask sweetly.

He sighed.

"Not yet. . . Not until Roxane says you can."

"I don't care what she says. It doesn't hurt so I'm fine. . . If you don't want to then fine, but I'm going to go see Farid." I told him as I opened the gate and started walking, more like marching.

"Lexi! Get back here!"

"Nope! If I have my way, I shall never come back here!" I said. My side was hurting, but I didn't care, I just kept on marching away. All of a sudden, though, I felt a hand on my should. I stopped and looked up at his face.

"At least let me either come with you or carry you. . . I don't want to go through that again." I gave him a great big grin and even giggled a little.

"I'm okay with that! I would be very glad to ride on your back!" He sighed, knelt down and let me on his back. I jumped on and wrapped my arms around his neck. He started to walk towards the camp. While I was humming the tune for 'Love Story', Dustfinger didn't say a word.

"If you don't anything, then I won't stop humming." I told him as I started to hum 'Safe and Sound.'

"You sure know how to make me talk, it gets kind of scary sometimes." I grinned at him. "So. . . What did you want me to talk about?"

I hugged his neck tighter.

"I don't know. . . Anything you want. . ." I whispered.

The truth was that I was happy just to be this close to him.

"Hm. . . Why don't you just love Farid and let it be that? I have Roxane and Brianna to worry about. I don't have time to worry or watch or even sneak around with you. Farid is also closer to your age then I am. So, just stop with me."

I never heard a word of what he just said or even what he was saying. I had my head laid in the middle of his back and my eyes were closed. I was daydreaming while listening to the birds sing they're songs. It was so lovely.  
"Lulu! Answer me!"

"Huh? What?"

He sighed.

"Why is it that when I talk the way I want to, you listen but yell at me. When I talk the way you want me to, you daydream and I end up yelling at you."

"Dustfinger. . . Shut up."

"What? See! This always happens! You just tell me to shut up whenever I want to talk about this. . . I-"

"Dustfinger! Sh! Its not what you think! Just shut up because I keep hearing something." I whispered in his ear.

That did make him shut up. He also stopped walking.

"What do you hear?" He whispered, but I put one hand over his mouth.

"Sh! How many times so I have to say it? If you don't shut up then-" I didn't get to finish what I was saying because I heard something coming towards us, so I put my hands on his shoulders, gripped and pulled as hard as I could to make him move back. It really caused him to fall backwards on top of me.

Yes it hurts, but I'd rather be like this then having that arrow in me or him instead of sticking out of the tree that we were just standing in front of.


	7. Chapter 7

"Whoa. . . Could that have gone into one of us?" Dustfinger ask in shock.

I nodded.

"Yeah. . . This is starting to hurt so, would you mind getting off of me?" I ask him and he moved off of me as fast as he could.

"Uh, sorry about that. . . I didn't mean to sit on you."

"Oh! Its okay! If it didn't hurt then I wouldn't mind it! The worried thing is. . . I kinda liked it. . ." I whispered the last bit because to me it sounded a bit creepy. I stood up after he did.

"We should get to the camp." He told me.

"Okay. . . We should run before someone shoots us. . . So, come on!" I yelled as I ran off.

I heard him yelling, but I couldn't hear what it was. After a little while, he was running faster then me. I laughed at him, but soon stopped when I couldn't see him any longer.

* * *

When I finally got to the camp, I slowly walked over to Farid and fell to my knees, then laid my head down on his lap.

"What's wrong?" I felt him put his hand on my head and gently smoothed my hair.

"I hate running. . . I'm tired. . . I don't want to run for the rest of my life!" I whispered as I started to turn onto my side. The fire was too hot so I didn't want it in my face, instead, I had it to my back. I opened my eyes. "Whatever happened to Dustfinger?"

"He's over there talking to the Black Prince. . . Why?"

"No reason. Just wondered. . . So. . . What's up, Farid?" I looked up at him.

"I have been just waiting here for you to get back so I could see if you were alright." He pouted. I sat up and knocked him over onto his back while I was on top. He was pouting because he's been waiting for awhile, but I knew that if I did this, it would make him happy again.

"Don't frown, be happy!" I smiled at him and it did make him smile. "There's that cute smile! You know I love it when you smile!" I pinched his cheeks.

I just really love treating Farid like a little kid just because he's a year younger then me. He pushed my hands away, but then he must have seen someone behind me because then he pushed me off of him and sat up. I had to look to see who ruined our fun and saw her.

Dustfinger's kid.

Brianna.

It annoyed me to see her because she looked so much like Dustfinger, only in female form. I tried not to glare at her, but it wasn't working so I looked away. I hate Roxane, but I hate Brianna even more.

"Lexi? Why is your face so red?" I stood up and kept looking down at the ground.

"Just because. . . See you later." I whispered. I walked into The Black Princes tent and sat down. I didn't want to see her.

Someone opened the entrance of the tent and made me jump. I turned around to see Prince and his bear buddy.

"Lexi? What are you doing in here and. . . Are you crying?"

"What do you-" Right then, I felt something on my face, I reached up to touch it and it was wet. I was crying, but why? I didn't know why. "I. . . I don't know. . . " I whispered. I was looking down, but, then, I looked up at him. "But, please! Don't tell Dustfinger or Farid. I don't want them to worry about me."

"Okay. . . Well, Dustfinger didn't even see you, he saw Brianna and went to see why she's here and-" He shut up as soon as he felt two weak arms wrapped around him. He looked down in shock to see the top of my brown haired head. I looked up at him while full out sobbing.

"Please. . . I know it's mean of me to say, let alone think, but could you please not talk about her. . . Every time I hear about them, I get upset. Even more so when I see them. . . I know that I'm being really selfish, but I have felt this way ever since I first met Dustfinger." I cried.

It's all true. When I read the books, I thought Brianna and Roxane are both Bee's with itches. The Black Prince pushed me away and looked at bear.

"You stay here with her while I go out there for awhile." Him and bear nodded at each other and he left.

"Great! Now I've scared away The Prince! Who's going to be next?"

"Well. . . Not me."

* * *

**Well. . . Who was that that just popped out of nowhere and said that? I know but you my people do not! Ha Ha!**

**I am sorry that it's kinda short, but I wanted to leave a cliffhanger and I know that I haven't put up any new chapters for awhile. I hope your happy with what you've got! I would also Love to say Thanks to ****Masked Man 2. She has been giving me good and very helpful reviews ever since the start of "1 Big Wish Come True" And I am so sorry that I haven't said this before!  
**

**Well, how you all liked it!**


	8. Chapter 8

I froze. That males voice I had heard a lot. Both in and out of my dreams.

I spun on my heels.

"Tristan!" I yelled as I ran over to him and jumped on him.

"Good! There for a moment I thought that you forgot about me." He said as he hugged me back.

"Wait." I whispered as I pulled away to look up at him. "Where have you been? I haven't seen you since before I passed out in The Princes arms!" I whispered. It turns out that bear was sniffing Tristan. Even though I was just mad at him, I couldn't help but giggle.

"Well, I. . . Huh. . . Hey! Stop it!" He batted at bear, who started to go up on his hind legs.

"Tristan! Stop it! If you keep doing that, then he could be mad and attack you!" Tristan just froze.

I giggled and walked over to bear. I reached up, scratched under his chin until he came back down on all fours.

"There we go. . . Now never do that again, Tristan." I grinned up at him. Bear laid down, so I sat down next to him.

Tristan sat down next to me and pulled me over so my head was leaned against his shoulder.

"You never answered me. . . Why did you disappear?" I ask while looking at him. He turned his head the best he could and ended up kissing my nose.

"Have I ever told you how cute you are?"

I sat up to look at him. I glared at him, more like it.

"Yes, you have! Many times. Now answer me. Why aren't you telling me?" He set his palm on my cheek. He also gave me a sweet, soft smile. I slapped his hand away as hard as I could. He was shocked by this. "If you don't answer me right now, I will go running out there and gladly make out with Dustfinger!" I said, I was trying not to yell, but I almost did.

He just sat there watching me so I started to get up to go through with what I said I was going to do because maybe he didn't believe that I would really do it. Before I could get out of the opening of the tent, he grabbed my wrist.

"Wait. . . I don't want to tell you because I don't want you to hate me, and I would rather you make out with Dustfinger then be mad or hate me." He told me.

This made me even madder. I ripped my wrist out of his hand, grabbed him by the hair, threw him down, got on top of him and pinned his hands down on either side of his head.

"Please. . . Tell me. . . You know I care about you, but if you don't tell me then how could I ever trust you?" I ask.  
He had turned his head away from me when I pinned him down, but when he felt something wet drip onto his face, he looked back up at me to see me crying.

(A/N: I am not really crying! They are fake tears just so he will say what he's been doing! Just wanted everyone to know before they get mad saying "Ah! She is crying again?!" So please be nice! Not real tears!)

"Lexi. . ."

"You know that I can't stand it! I need to know weather to trust you. . . Julian wasn't to be trusted and I understood that you could never trust Shadowmen."

"Lexi. . . I-"

"There you are. . . I have been looking everywhere for you!"

I whipped my head around to look behind me, at the opening of the tent, to see Dustfinger. I gasped. I didn't think it would be him, what was he doing here? Why isn't he with Brianna?

"Well? What's wrong? You look like you've seen a ghost." He told me. He wasn't saying anything about Tristan. . . But, why? He's right under me, isn't he?

I looked down under me to see a soft blanket. Where did he-? Wait. . . He is a Shadowman, so he disappeared. I feel so stupid. I feel like a Baka.

"What is wrong with you? You are acting really strange."

"Huh? Oh. . . I'm okay. I'm fine. . . What did you want?" I turned over onto my back to look at Dustfinger, but instead I looked up at the top of the tent.

"Well. . . I just wanted to give you the medicine from Brianna and Roxane. . . I saw you run in here before I saw Brianna. Why did you do that?" I lifted my head to stare at him.

"Are you sure you want to know?" He just nodded. "You know how I feel about Roxane, well. . . I hate Brianna even more. . . Not only because she's your kid. . . She is even more of a Bee with an itch then Roxane. I really hate her." He looked like he didn't know what to say. I sat up and pointed at him. "I told you it wouldn't be nice."

He lifted an eyebrow.

"No, you didn't. You said nothing like that in any way.."

"Yes I did! I did when I ask if you really wanted me to tell you!"I yelled. He put his hands up in a way to shut me up. I pouted. He always does this when I try and talk to him. I feel like smacking him upside the head! Hey, I've done it before. "Hey, Dustfinger? Do you remember when I smacked you?" I ask him out of the blue. His jaw dropped as he just stared at me. I think I caught him off guard. "Well? Do you or don't you?" I ask.

"Oh, sorry. . . You just brought back the memory of how scared I can be of you. . . So, what do you think my answer is, Lexi?"

I grinned up at him sweetly.

"I think that you faintly remember it. . . It was your own fault, after all."

He sat down by me and laid down. I was temped to cuddle with him, but, since it The Prince's tent, I didn't.

"You and Farid are such a handful. . . Sometimes I wonder why I even deal with it." He sighed. I sat on his belly with one leg on either side of him. I set my hands on his chest and looked down into his face. Until he covered his eyes with both of his arms.

"Do you wish that I'd never followed you and Farid here?"

"Sometimes yes. . . When my kid grew up, I was hoping that I wouldn't have to deal with anymore. But, I guess I was wrong." Dustfinger whispered.

It made me sad to hear that.

"So. . . Would you rather me leave and you never see me again?" I laid my head on his chest, so I could hear his heartbeat and him. . .

Wait! I swear he just gasped. Did he? Even though he gasped, he didn't move or talk. I felt like falling asleep right here because I was not in any pain and his body heat was so warm and nice.

I was almost asleep when all of a sudden he started to sit up. I rolled off of him and laid next to him. I opened my mouth and let out a big yawn.

"I was almost asleep until you moved. . ." I whispered.

"If you want to go to sleep that badly then let me go get Farid or Prince or even Doria. I don't want to interrupt your sleep anymore."

I sat up and pushed him over.

"What did I do to make you so mad? I was just trying to sleep! There's no reason for you to be so mean." I told him.

"But. . . You don't understand. . . And I don't think you ever will. . ." Dustfinger whispered so low that I couldn't even hear what he said.

"Besides. . . I want. . . You!" I had grabbed his arm and pulled him back towards me. But, instead of falling back next to me, he fell back on me. Right away, though, I started blushing because his face was on my chest, or should I say my boobs?! "Dustfinger. . . I, uh. . . Um, I-" I stopped when the second most worst pain ever shot up my left side. "Ah!" I screamed.

Dustfinger got off of me and sat down beside me. It hurt so bad that I wanted to cry. To tell you the truth, the tears were in my eyes, but I wouldn't let them out.

"Farid! Prince! Get in here! Now!" I heard Dustfinger yell. I was on my side and grabbed onto his hand.

He wanted to hold me tight and stop the pain, but he knew that he couldn't and he didn't even want to try because he was trying not to believe that he really loves me. So, he thought that if nobody saw then it wouldn't be real. Even though it really hurt, I smiled at him.

"Wow. . . Prince and Farid are taking awhile."

Dustfinger just shook his head and smirked.

"Only you would be in this much pain and still be able to joke about something."


	9. Chapter 9

Right after that, Farid and Prince came running in. They changed my bandages and gave me the medicine for the pain that Brianna brought from Roxane. After a few seconds, I was out cold until the sun was going down. I had taken off my bloody clothes and put on the stupid dress that didn't even fit.

I walked out to see everyone around the fire. I yawned and sat between Dustfinger and Farid. I leaned my head on Farid's shoulder because he's closer to my size while Dustfinger. . . Isn't.

"How do you feel?" Farid ask me. My eyelids were so heavy that I could barely hold them open.

"Tired. . . Wait, you meant where I got stabbed, didn't you. . . Well. . . It doesn't hurt." I said as I kept yawning, which also caused Farid to yawn, too. I giggled as I caught him yawning, then Dustfinger and then even The Black Prince yawned, too. "So. . . What's to eat?" I smiled at Dustfinger, then at Farid, then back again. Prince told Doria to give me some of the meat and I ate it even though I didn't know what animal it was.

After I was done, I started to get sleepy again, but I was able to stay up until the others went to bed.

"Who do you want to sleep with. . . Or should I ask where do you want to sleep?" Dustfinger ask me. I sat there thinking and thinking and thinking.

"I don't care who I sleep with, but I wanna sleep in the tent. . . I'll be right back." I said as I got up and started walking towards the group of trees behind the Black Prince's tent.

"Uh. . . Where are you going?"

"None of your bees wax!"

"Then, I'm coming with you because you shouldn't be walking off all by yourself." Dustfinger yelled after me since I was so far away, but he was catching up slowly.

I stopped walking, turned around to face him and yelled, "No! I don't want you to watch me pee!" I grinned at him while I swear he blushed. "Now. . . Do you still wanna follow me?" I lifted one eyebrow, tilted my head to one side and held my hands together behind my back.

He didn't say anything, all he did was turn around and headed back to the fire.

I giggled, turned back around and started walking so I could go pee. When I finished, I walked back to the front of the tent and just walked right on in.

But, as soon as I walked in, I froze. Prince was in there, but he had taken off his shirt. I tried to snap out of it before he noticed, but I couldn't fast enough. I stared down as I walked over to where I was going to sleep, which was by bear. After I was the way I wanted to sleep, someone picked me up and laid me down on the soft bed of blankets.

I looked up at a shirtless Prince.

"You really think that I would let you sleep over there and without a blanket? I am a Prince, you know. . . Even if I'm a Prince of the Motley Folk." He told me. I smiled sleepily up at him.

"Okay. . . But you better lay down with me on here or I won't sleep, at all." I told him.

He nodded and laid down right next to me. So close that I couldn't help, but cuddle with him. I was the first to wake up in the morning and I had to pee like a race horse. I was almost out of the tent when Prince woke up.

"What are you doing?" I jumped a mile.

"I'm going pee. . . I'll be back." He nodded and went back to sleep.

I went out into the trees and peed, but when I looked by the fire, I saw Farid fast asleep and no Dustfinger.

Since I was half asleep, I could barely walk so it was hard looking for him. When I finally found him, I was so mad that I pounced on him. It was easy since he was the one zoned out. When I knocked him down, I scared him.

"Hey!"

"What Cha Doin'? You should be asleep." I said from on top of him. After he saw that it was me, he relaxed and put his hand on top of my head.

"Aren't you supposed to be in bed?" He ask with a smirk on his face. : gave him a huge, sweet smile.

"Well. . . Aren't you supposed to be asleep next to Farid?" I ask him sweetly. He sighed. "Don't you remember what I always say? If you don't sleep, Then neither do I."

He should know that because I have always been like that. If he doesn't sleep, then I don't. If someone wants me to sleep in a bed or on some blankets and they won't, then I won't. The only way that works is if we both fall asleep on the bed or blankets.

"No comeback?" I ask him with a grin. He ran his hand over his face and through his hair. Then, for some odd reason, I started thinking about my family. Mostly my best friend and cousin, BlackCat.

I didn't care about my brother because the day before my Birthday, we fought and I was still mad at him for that.  
I laid my head down on Dustfinger's chest and pouted.

"Now what's wrong?" He ask, annoyed.

"I miss my home. . . I wanna go back."

"Now you know how I felt for so many years?" I nodded. I stuck out my bottom lip and looked at him.

"I sorry for not reading you's home sooner. . . I is very selfish. . ." I told him. "Can I sleep with you?" I was using my baby voice. The next thing I knew, I was waking up, next to Dustfinger. Right after I woke up, he woke up, too.

"Have you been staring at me in my sleep, again?"

I shook my head.

"Nope. . . I just woke up."

Within an hour, we got up, I sat by Farid while Dustfinger and The Prince left. I looked over at Farid.

"Where did they go? And what makes them think that they could just leave us here?" I ask him. Farid just shrugged. I got up, ran into the tent and ran back out with my backpack in my hands. I sat back down next to Farid, opened my bag and pulled out some bags of coins. "Farid. . . Can you help me count these?" I ask him.

He gave me a big smile and nodded.


	10. Chapter 10

"Oh, dang it! I think we're lost." I said.

"Let's go. . . That way." Farid answered.

It was just me and Farid in Ombra . We were on our way to seamstress ally, but we got lost along the way. Even though it was noon, it was dark. And scary. I kept getting closer and closer to Farid until I couldn't get any closer and I hugged his arm as tight as I could.

"Farid. . . This is starting to really creep me out." I whispered. Secretly, my side started to hurt awhile ago, but I didn't want to say anything because I knew that Farid would worry about me.

"Lexi! There it is! We are finally here!" Farid whispered.

I looked at where he was pointing his finger to see that he was right. We got to the front door and knocked. A Lady opened the door to reveal a nice little house.

"Oh! How cute! How may I help you, Lovely couple?" The Lady ask. She had her dark hair tied back in a bun and wore a lovely dress. Something tells me that she makes a lot of money.

"Oh! Um. . . We're not a couple! We're just here to get her a dress that fits!" Listening to Farid tell her this made me giggle. The Lady frowned at me and Farid.

"Aw. . . All well. . . Come in! I shall make you a dress as cute and pretty as you are!" She smiled. She showed us in and stood me on a small stool. "Now. . . Please, unclothe child so I can see what size to make it."

I looked at Farid to see him blushing.

"Farid. . . Please, either go outside until I call you back in or face the wall." I told him. He nodded and went outside to wait. The Lady helped me strip, but stopped when she saw my bandages were bloody. She gasped as she about to scream, but I put my index finger to my lips in a way to shush her. She nodded.

"Why are you bleeding? Should I be worried?"

"No. . . If you want, you can redress my wound. It hurts so bad, but I don't want him to know." I nodded towards the door. She nodded, got some clean bandages and wrapped me up. It didn't take long.

It took her only half an hour to measure all of me. I dressed again and called in Farid.

"Okay. . . It may take me awhile to make it. . . When do you need it done?"

"Anytime. If you'll have it done tonight then that would be even better."

"Alright! Come back by sundown and I'll be done." We shook hands and me and Farid left.

We decided to make more money, so we headed for the courtyard of the castle. I did my game and Farid did some fire tricks. I got to say, he has gotten a lot better since he left my world.

"Hey! Mother! It's the girl who bought my necklace!" A little girl's voice yelled. That snapped me out of my little trance. I looked up to see the same five year old girl with her mother who was holding the little baby.

"Well, hello there. . . Would you like to play?" She grinned at me and nodded.

"Can I, mother?"

"I don't know. . . How much does it cost?" She ask.

I shook my head.

"No, no, no. . . It costs nothing! Do you think you could be smarter then me?" I ask. The little girl plopped down in front of me and gave me a hard nod. The mother sat down and watched. We played at least ten rounds until the baby started getting a little fussy. I lost all but the last round.

"I let you win so you won't cry!" She said nicely.

"You did? Well, thank you. . . That was very nice of you." I told her.

I wanted to give her something, but I didn't know what. Until I thought of something. I grabbed my backpack, dug in it and pulled out my teddy-bear, L.C. I held him up and showed him to her.

"For winning nine out of ten rounds, I will give you my favorite teddy-bear. His name is L.C and I am trusting you with him from now on. . . Now, can you do that?" She gasped as she softly and gently reached out to take him and hugged him to her little chest. She looked up at me.

"You named him after me?"

I tilted my head to one side and looked up at her mother.

"Her first name is Lily and her middle name is Charlotte." She told me. "So, we call her L.C for short."

"Well, then he was made for you." After that, they said they're byes and I made more money until me and Farid started to head back to Seamstress Ally. When we got there, she had me put on the dress to see if it fit and it did. Even though it was made so I didn't need to wear a bra, I still did.

I spun around to see if it would puff out and it did. Somehow, she made it fadey from dark red at the top of the skirt to black at the bottom. The sleeves went down to my elbows and was made of black silk. She made it so it could be undone in the back or front. Buttons in the back and laced up in the front. The ribbon was black and the bodice was red while there was a lot of really pretty lace on the skirt.

I loved it so much!

"I love it! Thank you so much!" I said as I hugged her. I paid her and we left. We headed back to the camp, but when we got close to the gate, I saw two men that would scold me if they saw me right now. Dustfinger and The Black Prince. I pulled Farid into the shadows as fast as I could and covered his mouth.

"Lexi. . . What are you-"

"Sh! Dustfinger and Prince are by the gate!" I whispered. He peeked around the corner of the house we were behind and then pulled his head back. I, then, felt something rub up against my ankle. I looked down and lifted up my dress to see Gwin. Farid picked him up as I looked around the house. "Farid. . . I have an idea. . . You go over and tell them that we're fine so I can run past. I'll meet you outside the gate, okay?" He looked down at Gwin, frowning.

I put my hands on his cheeks to make him look at me. "Don't worry. . . I'll be fine. . . If you can't find ,e outside the gate, then I maybe be at Roxanne's." I told him. He nodded and still pouted. I pinched his cheeks and made him smile. I gave him a big smile also. "Farid, Don't worry."

"But, what if you get hurt again? What if your wound starts bleeding really badly?" The poor boy ask me. I shook my head.

"Farid! I will live!" I whispered. He put Gwin on his shoulder and hugged me. When he pulled away, he put Gwin on my shoulder.

"At least take Gwin with you if not me."

I nodded and he ran around the house and over to Prince and Dustfinger.


	11. Chapter 11

(Authors note: Hi! Well, I just wanted you to know that If there ever is a short story you think I should do of me and Dustfinger and Farid or whatever. Like the one where I slapped Dustfinger. Just leave a comment and tell me. Please and Thank you! Now, Back to the story!)

I took my chance and ran. When I was through the gate, I ran behind a tree so they couldn't see me.

But, I jumped a mile when I felt someone put they're hand over my mouth. I started to kick, elbow and hit the person behind me so they would let go. I stopped when I heard a voice.

"Hey! Lexi! Stop it! I know that I'm a shadowman, I can hide in the shadows and I can disappear like a shadow, but you can't go through me like a shadow!"

'If you want me to stop, then. . . Remove your hand at once!' I screamed in my head. He moved his hand. I turned around to look at him and punched him in the gut. He doubled over and glared up at me.

"Why did you do that?!" I smiled sweetly at him.

"That's for making me seem crazy to Dustfinger and for. . . Well, for everything you did that made me mad." I told him.

Tristan stood up straight and grabbed me by the throat. He didn't have a tight grip, but tight enough to where I wouldn't move.

"You don't want to get on my bad side, Lexi."

"Why? You won't hurt me." He lifted an eyebrow.

"Oh? Is that what you think? I could always hurt one of your friends if I don't want to hurt you, too." Tristan said. Then, my first dream popped into my mind.

The blood. The loud gun shot. My screams that sounded so far away.

I pushed him away and knelt down. I always hated to think about that nightmare.

"Lexi? What's wrong, now?" Tristan's voice snapped me out of it. I looked up at him to see him kneeling in front of me.

"Huh? Oh. . . Nothing. It's nothing. . . Are you ready to tell me why you left me before?" He looked away from me. I smirked and stood up. "I thought so."

Tristan's face appeared right there in front of my face and he looked kinda worried. I didn't know why he was looking at me like that until he touched the same place as where I got stabbed.

I gasped and almost fell down from the pain. Gwin finally let himself be known and snarled at him. Gwin's teeth came real close to Tristan's nose.

"Your hurt. . . How did it happen?"

"I don't know. . . A knife came out of nowhere and got me." I told him. He looked me in the eyes and moved as fast as he could to slam his lips on mine. I was frozen. I didn't think he would do that. I didn't get to get into it before he pulled away. He set his forehead on mine.

"I want you to stay safe. . . So, please. . . Come with me."

"I can't. . . Dustfinger, Farid and the others would worry about me." He, then, pushed me up against a tree, his body as close to mine as he could.

"Staying with them would only get you hurt or even killed. . . If you come with me, then I can promise you that I wouldn't let anyone hurt a hair on your pretty little head." Tristan told me. I just shook my head. I was about to say that I couldn't, until my side started to hurt really badly.

"Ah!"

Tristan caught me as I was about to fall.

"Lexi? Are you alright?" I didn't answer. He put his hand on my forehead and gasped. "You are burning up. What am I supposed to do?"

"R-. . . R-Roxane's farm. . . " I whispered. Tristan nodded as he tried to get me on his back. When I was on, he stood up and started running. The only reason he new the way to Roxane's farm is because he read my mind. When he got there, he pounded on the door, but no one answered. He stood back from the door.

"Roxane! Roxane, I need you!" He yelled. Finally, someone opened the door. Tristan ran to the door. "Are you Roxane?! If you are, then you need to help me." He turned the littlest bit so the woman could see me. After she saw me, she gasped, flew open the door and ushered him inside.

"Come one, fast. . . Wait, are you Lexi? Sorry, don't mind me. Come on. Follow me." She said as we entered a bedroom. He laid me down, gently on the bed.

Tristan was going to leave, but he stopped when I grasped a hold of the bottom of his shirt.

"P-. . . Please. . . Don't go. . . Tristan." I whispered right before I passed out.

* * *

**SORRY IT WAS SO SHORT! THERE IS A TIME SKIP!**


	12. Chapter 12

(Time Skip!)

I didn't know what else happened after that. But, when I woke up, my wound was numb. I looked around to see what I could. My eyes stopped wandering when they fell on the young man laying in the bed next to me.

I smiled.

I turned onto my side to face him (not the side that was hurt) And swept a few strands of white hair out of his face. The moment was ruined by my tummy. It growled because it was hungry and wanted some food. I gasped because I forgot that I haven't ate in awhile. It also woke Tristan.

"Was that your belly?" I blushed. I cracked a smile because it was also funny. Tristan smiled at me. "Okay. . . Well, here. . . I'll help you sit up." Tristan got off the hay bed and started to lift me up so my back was against the wall.

"Oh. . . Your finally awake." Me and Tristan both looked at the door to see Roxane. I weakly smiled and nodded. "By the way. . . Aren't you Lexi?" Roxane ask.

"Yes. . . I am." I told her. She looked at the young man with the white hair.

"Then, who is this?"

"He. . . Uh. . ." I looked at Tristan for help. He looked just as clueless as I felt.

"Oh. . . Friend? Family? What?"

"She is my friend. . . We grew up together. . . She was talking to me when she almost passed out. I was even about to tell her that I love her." Tristan told her. I glared at him, but went along with it. She nodded as if she didn't believe Tristan was telling the truth.

She gave me a bowl of. . . Stuff.

"Here, you need to eat. . . And you will have to leave so I can change her bandages." She said while looking at Tristan. He cocked his head to the side. Roxane pointed towards the door. "Leave until I say you can come back in!" I giggled. Tristan stood up and walked out.

"Does it hurt, at all?"

I shook my head.

"Not at all. . . Have you sent for Dustfinger, yet?"

"Why? Do you want him here? I did send Brianna and Jehan to the camp. . . Why are you so attached to my husband, anyways?" Roxane ask.

I gasped. I didn't know what to say. I couldn't just tell her that I have a crush on him. I don't want to be that much of a B**** to her. I hate her, but still, I don't want her to hate Dustfinger for it. . .

Oh, my god! I am caring about what she thinks about him! What has happened to me!  
"Um. . . Because. . ."

"Lexi? At least tell me how long you've known him."

"Um. . . Three years maybe?"

She nodded. I think that she knows somethings up with us. . . Me and Dustfinger.

She took off my bloody bandages. I had winced and once in awhile say ow. . . more like yelling ow. Roxane would just smile when I screamed. When she was done, I finally got to eat. When Tristan came in, I had already finished eating all of my food.

"Wow. . . I guess its good that your eating." Roxane said as she picked up my bowl.

"Uh, Roxane. . . Would it be alright for me to go outside and sit?" She looked at me, smiled and nodded.

"Yes. . . Tristan should help you, though. . . I'll come out and work on the garden when I'm finished in here." I grinned like a child and nodded.

When she left the room, Tristan knelt on the bed beside me and started to lace up the front of my dress.

"Thanks Tristan. . . I'm surprised that you haven't left me yet since you have before." I said.

He smirked while still tightening my dress.

"Well, I have already thought about it, but if I did then you might have died." I giggled from the thought of a Shadowman being worried about me. After he was done, he picked me up and carried me outside. We stayed in the yard, but he sat me down under a shady tree. He set me down on my butt, but, then, I fell backwards onto my back.

"Lexi? Are you okay?" He ask.

He got closer and closer until he was right above my face. I scared him when I sat up a little, wrapped my arms around his neck and pulled him down.

I was meaning to make him lay down next to me, but when I pulled him down, he landed on top of me.

I started blushing like mad. Tristan just looked at me in the eyes, not even trying to get up.

"Tristan. . . Can you please get off of me?" I ask him.

He just smirked even more and shook his head.

"Nope. . . I do not want to."

"But. . . Your getting heavy. And what if someone sees us like this?" My face has to be so red right now and he must be loving it.

"So? If someone sees us like this then they'll know that your mine."

"Lexi? Your his what?"

* * *

**Dun Dun Dunnnn! What's going to happen? Who was it that spoke? I will give you a hint. . . He's a male!**


	13. Chapter 13

That made me gasp. I pushed Tristan off of me and looked at where the voice came from.

No. . . It can't be. Not already. . . But, it was.

"Farid!" I got up and ran over to him to give him a big hug. I pulled away and smiled at him. "I told you that I'd live!" I told him. I was hoping that Tristan had already left. I looked up at Dustfinger and Prince to see them looking behind me. I looked to see Tristan still sitting there, glaring at the guy's. "Tristan! Stop that!" I yelled at him. He still didn't stop.

So, I ran over to him and kicked him down. He glared at me. The look he gave me, made me mad. I walked back over to Farid, Dustfinger and Prince.

"Roxane! I'm leaving!"

"Wait! Don't go yet!" I froze in place to be funny. "You need this! And. . . Where did that young man, Tristan go?" I looked up at the guy's faces to see what they thought.

"Well. . . He kinda left when they showed up. . . And thanks!" I said. She nodded, handed me the stuff and walked around back to do some more work. I sighed and turned back around to look at them. "Okay. . . Enough just standing around glaring at where Tristan was sitting. Lets get back to camp." I told them. I felt something cold and wet touch my shoulder. I jumped and whipped my head around to see what it was, to see my black bear buddy. I rubbed his head and smiled at him.

"Hi." I told him.

I started walking towards the camp while they watched me walk by. The Prince was the first to come over and started walking next to me. I looked back to see what was taking them so long to see Farid looking at the ground and Dustfinger staring at Roxane's house. I looked down, frowning because I was hoping that they would follow us.

Prince put his hand on my shoulder and I looked up at him.

"Don't worry. . . They'll come. . . Dustfinger! Farid! Come on!" He yelled. The next thing I knew, Dustfinger and Farid were walking next to us. I smiled at them.

"Thank you for coming with us!" We got back to the camp, but Farid and Dustfinger didn't say a word.

* * *

A week pasted and Dustfinger and Farid barely spoke a word to me. I tried to make them smile or laugh, but it never worked. On the seventh day, I was sitting under a tree, writing in a notebook. Dustfinger came over and sat by me.

I ignored him because he has been all this week. All day today I haven't said a word to him.

"Hey. . . You want to come to the castle? You can see the inside."

I still didn't say anything to him. Didn't even look at him. He ignored me all this week, I can do it for now at least. He sighed.

"Lexi. . . At least look at me."

Nope.

He grabbed my shoulders and made me look at him in the eyes.

"Come to the castle with me and Farid!"

"Why should I? You ignored me for a whole week when I didn't do a thing to you. . . So, why should I listen to you?" I told him.

He sighed, stood up and threw me over his shoulder. I gasped. I started to kick and hit him. Even though I was mad at him, I still didn't kick him in the head.

My butt was in his face so I was hitting him as hard as I could in the middle of his back.

"Put me down! Dustfinger! Put me down!" I yelled.

"Hey! Your talking to me." He said.

It didn't seem like like he was going to drop me anytime soon, so I stopped. He stopped by Farid and set his hand on Farid's dark head.

"Let's go. I've got her and I want the old man to meet her." Dustfinger said. Farid just nodded and followed. Farid walked behind him to where I could see him. Farid never once looked at me. When we got through the gate, though, I didn't want to lose him so I reached out to him and set my hands on his shoulders to hold onto him.

He jumped so much, you would think that he got shot. He looked at me with shock like he didn't know I was even there.

"What? Didn't know I was here. . . Wait, why waste my breath? I know you won't even speak to me." I said.

"Why are you holding onto me? You might fall, Lexi." I heard Farid say. But the moment was ruined when Dustfinger bounced a little.

"Hey!" I yelled as I used my elbow to elbow him in the back of his head. "Don't do that!" I told him.

"I can do it if I want. You are over my shoulder, after all."

"You want me to hit you, again?" He shook his head. "Then, put me down!" I yelled in his ear.

He dropped me right away.

"Now, as long as you don't run away, then you can walk, but if you try, I will pick you up, again." I glared at him. Dustfinger just went on smirking.

"Lexi. . . Who is Tristan to you?" Farid ask. I looked at him.

"Just an annoying friend. . . Why?" He looked at me and his face lit up.

"Really? You don't love him like you do Dustfinger? Or even me?" I giggled and nodded.

"Maybe. . . Is that why you haven't said anything to me?" He nodded and wrapped his arms around me. I patted him on the head. "Your so cute, Farid." I looked up at Dustfinger, who had stopped walking to listen and wait for us. "So. . . Did you feel the same way as Farid, Dustfinger? I ask.

"Nope. . . Now come on. I want to go ask the old man something."

We started walking again. When we got to the castle, we walked through the halls until we got to the library where Balbulus works. When Dustfinger opened the door, I peeked around him to see Balbulus and Fenoglio sitting at a desk.

"Old man! I want you to meet another Silvertongue!" Dustfinger told him from across the room.

* * *

**The only reason I am ending this chapter so early is because there is more to this part and I don't want it to be too long.**


	14. Chapter 14

Fenoglio lifted his head up to look at us.

"Oh? Have I met him or her?"

"I don't think so since I did say 'I want you to meet'. . . Stop hiding behind me and Farid and say hi." Dustfinger scolded me. I came out from behind Dustfinger, but went behind Farid, instead.

"Oh! It's a girl like Meggie!" Fenoglio said proudly. "Did I make her without knowing it?"  
"No. . . She read herself here from another world. Her name is Lexi." The man that made the INKHEART book from the book, was walking towards us. He stopped right in front of me and Farid. While he tried to get a good look at me, I kept getting closer and closer to Farid. I was feeling really shy, but I don't know why. He wouldn't stop getting closer, so I looked for Dustfinger, who I couldn't find at first. He was sitting in the window seat, just watching us.

When I found him, I ran over to him to hide from Fenoglio.

"Wow, this has to be a first. . . She might also stop running if you would stop trying to look at her like she's some kind of new insect." Dustfinger told him. I climbed over him to get closer to the window and farther away from who Dustfinger calls 'Old man'.

"Okay. . . But how could she like you, a big coward, more then me?"

"Maybe it's because she's known me longer and she just met you."

I gripped Dustfinger's sleeve and glared at Fenoglio.

"Your not a coward. . . And if you were, he made it sound bad while I think it would be cute. . ." I whispered. Dustfinger looked down at me. He patted me on the head.

"Thank you for standing up for me, Lexi. But I'm fine." My head popped up to look at Farid. I reached out towards him.

"Farid! Come!" I yelled at him. He came running over to me and Dustfinger. Farid climbed over Dustfinger's legs like I did to get to me.

Fenoglio sighed.

"Well, this isn't fair. . . I just want to ask you something's."

"Your 'Something's' would be going on for hours and I don't want to go through all that." I told him. "Yeah, I know you that well."

"Dustfinger, what all have you told her about me?" Dustfinger just shook his head.

"He didn't. I know about you because of what I've read about you."

"Really? Where are you from?"

"How do I say this. . . Well, you know how Dustfinger and Farid came out of they're books? Well, you, Mo, Meggie and Resa are also from a book. More like books. INKHEART, INKSPELL and INKDEATH." I told him. Fenoglio looked like he didn't know what to say.

"Now you know how I felt, old man." Dustfinger told him. I just leaned my head on Farid and looked around.

There was a lot of books, but I have always wanted to read the one with stories of The Blue Jay. Dustfinger was busy speaking to the Inkweaver, so I took Farid's hand and ran over to Balbulus. I stopped in front of his desk and smiled sweetly at him.

"Hello!" I said, happily. He just glanced up at me, then Farid and then back down at his work.

"What do you want? Shouldn't you be with the fire dancer and Inkweaver?"

"I don't have to. I can come over here if I please. . . By the way, which book has the stories of The Blue Jay?" I ask him while looking around. He dropped his pen and looked at me.

"And why do you want them?"

"Because I want to read them."

He chuckled.

"You? One of the Motley folk really want to read? Well, too bad. I don't feel like reading it to you."

I pouted.

"I can read, you know!"

"Then, prove it. . . Read this to me." He pushed the book he was working on to me and nodded. I grabbed it and grinned.

"It says 'The Prince slashed through the dragons throat, but it did no good. The dragons skin was too think for the blade to cut through. Time was running out, he had to save the Princess. But, instead of just running up the tower, he had to slay the dragon.' So, did I get that right?" I smirked.

Balbulus just stared. After a few seconds, he caught himself and looked down at his work.

"So, where are they at?"

"One moment. . . Alright. . . Follow me." I smiled at Farid, who smiled back at me. We followed him to a huge bookshelf. He climbed a ladder, grabbed a book and climbed back down to hand me the book. "Here. When your done with it, it goes right back up there and there's other, too."

"Okay! Thank you very much!" I said. He nodded and went back to work.

I ran over to a window, sat down and started reading. Farid even sat by me and looked at it.

I loved it. I read about four or five of those books before I fell asleep. The book was closed with one of my hands inside to keep my place and my head was leaning on Farid's shoulder. After Farid realized I was asleep, he laid his head on mine and went to sleep.

Dustfinger finally woke me up when it was time to go to bed.

"Okay. . ." I yawned. I was a slow walker and Dustfinger didn't feel like waiting for me, so he grabbed me and put me on his back, which was nice and warm.

* * *

The sun was too bright. I always hated it when it shined right in my eyes when I'm trying to sleep. I turned on my other side so my back was facing the sun. When I was almost back to sleep, I felt something move under the blankets in front of me and behind me.

My eyes flew open. The one I was cuddling with, the one in front of me, was Farid. I looked behind me to see Dustfinger. I smiled. It was nice to have a dude with body heat on either side of you when you have no body heat, whatsoever.

But, it got boring real fast with just me being awake.

I got up off the bed as carefully as I could without waking either of them up. When I was off the bed and they were still asleep, I made a run for it. When I was out in the hall, I didn't know what to do. I ended up trying to find the Library.

I was in luck because I found it. When I went in, no one was in there.

"It must be too early for anyone to be in here. " I grabbed a book, sat in Fenoglio's chair by his desk and started to read. At least an hour pasted by before I finally heard someone coming.

I looked at the door, dropped the book on the desk and hid under the desk. The door opened and I saw two pairs of feet. I also heard two voices speaking to each other, one male and the other female.

"So, what shall I do this morning, Old Master?" The female ask.

"Hey! How many times do I have to tell you not to call me that?!" I tried not to laugh. "If you call me that again, I will stop showing you how to do stuff."

She didn't say anything after that, but I did jump a mile when someone yanked the chair away from the desk to look at me.

"What are you doing in here? No one is allowed in here before Balbulus or Old Master." The girl said. She looked to be my age if not a year older. Her skin was olive colored while her eyes and hair were both brown. Her hair almost black.

"Liadan! Leave her alone. That's Lexi, the one I've told you about." She looked at Fenoglio, then back at me. She cocked her head to the side to look at me.

"She is. . . Well, nice to meet you."


	15. Chapter 15

She knelt down and held out her hand to help me up. I took it and smiled. She pulled me up so I was standing, stood up herself and dragged me off.

"Liadan. . . Don't go! Dustfinger and Farid might get worried about her and your supposed to do your work!" Fenoglio yelled after us, but that didn't make her stop.

She didn't even say anything back. When we were a ways away from him, she slowed down and started walking.

"Well. . . Now what should we do?"

"You mean you kidnapped me and you don't even know where we should go?" I ask. She just smiled at me.

"I know where we should go! We could go into the wayless woods to see the fire elves!" She told me right before we ran off. I was having fun with her. By the time we got to the wayless woods, we were walking and talking. While we were talking, though, it kinda slipped that I wasn't from around here. More like not from this world. She didn't want to stay on that subject for long.

I yawned.

"Are you tired?" I just nodded. "Well, it it getting dark. Wow! We've been out the whole day! She told me. I smiled.

'If you couldn't go the whole way. . .' ". . . Then you shouldn't have gone." A voice told me.

The first part was in my head, the second part right behind me. I jumped. Liadan was a few steps ahead of me, so she couldn't hear the male who whispered in my ear.

"Tristan!" I yelled before I turned to look at him. But happiness wasn't on my face for long when I remembered the last time I saw him. I pushed him as hard as I could and he almost fell, he didn't, but he almost did. I wanted him to fall so I kinda kicked him and he did fall on his butt. He looked up at me, shocked that I would even do that to him. "Tristan! For one, why did you just disappear before and for two. . . You were so rude to Dustfinger and Farid!" I yelled at him.

I wasn't worried about Liadan seeing this because Roxane, her kids, Dustfinger, Farid and Prince have seen him. What's one more person?

"Lexi. . . You don't understand."

"Oh, my god! Why do people keep telling me that?! I am eighteen years old and I would understand if you just tell me. You and Dustfinger are too much alike." I said. Tristan opened his mouth as if to say something, but stopped when he looked behind me. I turned my head to look at Liadan who was just staring at us. I smiled at her. "Sorry about this. . . I get mad easily sometimes and I just had to beat him up so he knows not to make me mad, again." I told her.

I could feel Tristan's evil glare. It didn't scare me because he would never hurt me. . . But then I remembered that he wouldn't hurt me, but he would hurt someone I love.

"W-. . . Who is he?" Liadan ask me. I looked at him and gently kicked him. It couldn't hurt because it was so light.

"He's Tristan. . . Tristan, this is my new friend Liadan." She took a few steps towards me to stand next to me. She wouldn't stop staring at him.

"Goddamn, he's hot! Why didn't you tell me you had such a good-looking friend, Lexi, huh?" She leaned over to whisper in my ear.

I laughed at her bluntness. Tristan just froze and stared at her.

"Tristan. . . It's rude to stare." I told him through the laughs and giggles. The next thing I knew, though, I was in Tristan's arms.

"Sorry. . ." He told her as he grabbed my chin so I could look him in the eyes. ". . . But, I'm already taken." Right then, Tristan's lips slammed down on mine. My eyes widen, but when I got over the shock, I started to. . . Smack him upside the head! When he finally pulled away, he smirked down at me, mocking my shortness and how he's taller then me. "What is wrong, milady?"

"What is wrong? What is wrong?! You just kissed me without my okay! I liked it a lot better when you were in my dreams!" I yelled in his face. "I wish that you hadn't even come to me on that day."

Tristan stood up. He didn't look like his normal grinning self anymore. He looked really. . . Mad. I, then, started to regret everything I just said.

"Fine. . . If that is how you feel. . . Then the game is over." He told me right before he disappeared to who knows where.

"Tristan. . . Please, come back. . . I didn't mean any of that. I was just really mad. Everyone says thing's that they don't really mean." I said. I stood up and started walking around.

"What just happened?" I looked at Liadan with tears in my eyes.

"I don't know. . . Everything just went so fast. . . What should I do?" I ask her. She started hugging me, her dark brown hair covering my face. Her olive skin just was so soft. I pulled away from her and dropped my butt on the ground.

I sighed.

"I am too childish. Everything I do turns out the total opposite of what I want it to." I said.

She smiled at me.

"Yeah, you are like a big child, but still. I like you the way you are." She told me.

"Thanks! But. . . I hope you know the way back to Ombra. Because I sure don't and I think we should be getting back." I told her and she just kept on smiling at me.

"Um. . . Oops!"

I sighed.

"How are we getting back now?" I ask, I looked at her and we both started laughing.

"Tristan! You could at least help us get out of here! We're lost and the nightmares might get us!" I yelled when we stopped laughing. No answer. I puffed out my cheeks. I tried thinking of a way to make him come back, but I couldn't. "Tristan! What can I do to make you happy, again?" I ask him while looking up at the darkening sky.

The sun was almost all the way behind the trees to where we couldn't see it. The sky was a really pretty pink and blue. Stars were starting to come out, too. I looked at Liadan.

"Well, it looks like we make a fire and hope the nightmares and other thing's don't kill us."

She nodded and helped me put together a fire. Since I had spent so many nights with Dustfinger and Farid in my world, I knew how to start a fire. And a good thing too. Because Liadan didn't know how to. I laughed when I heard that. By the time we got the fire lit, it was total darkness. I yawned.

"If you want, you can go to sleep while I stay awake."

I shook my head.

"No, I'm fine. . . To tell you the truth, I kinda have the urge to yell for Dustfinger." I told her.

She laughed at my stupidness.

"You do know that if we do that, then that would call the nightmares to us, right?"

I nodded.


	16. Chapter 16

(Time Skip!)

* * *

We both ended up falling asleep. But, I did wake up when I heard something coming from the other side of the fire. Me and Liadan went to sleep right next to each other. I sat up when I heard a noise. I tried not to wake up Liadan just in case it was nothing. I had no weapons, so I was defenseless.

What came out of the trees almost gave me a heart attack. It was a shadow in the shape of a man. I never been so scared in my life. I couldn't take my eyes off of it. I think I would have died if someone hadn't put they're hands over my eyes.

I gasped.

"Sh. . . Don't worry. I won't let it kill you." A voice told me and I calmed down. I knew this voice. And I'm happy he came back.

When the hand was removed from over my eyes, the nightmare was gone. I turned around to see a white haired young man.

"You have no clue how happy I am that you came back. . . I am so sorry for yelling at you like that."

"If you really mean it. . . Then kiss me and I'll forgive you."

I was about to say no until I stopped myself. I leaned in and kissed him on the cheek.

"Hey!"

"Hays for horses and you didn't say where to kiss you." I grinned. Instead of starting another fight, he just gave it up and smiled at me.

"Okay, okay. . . Now you put out the fire while I try to wake up your friend." I nodded.

He couldn't wake her up, so he just got her on his back.

"Tristan? Can I ask you something?"

"Sure."

"What did you mean when you told me 'This game is over'?" I ask. He looked shocked.

"Well. . . Um. . . Uh. . ."

"Is it the same game as the other Shadowmen play or what?"

"Or what. . . I don't feel like telling you right now. Can it wait until later?" I sighed and nodded.

We walked without saying anything for awhile. All of a sudden, though, I clung to Tristan's arm, making it hard for him to move.

"Lexi. . . Come on or I'll drop your friend. . . Why are you so scared?"

I pointed.

"B-. . . B-. . . B-. . ." I couldn't spit it out. Tristan looked at where I was pointing to see what I was so scared of. And when he saw, he couldn't help, but laugh. "Tristan! Stop!"  
"But, Lexi. . . Your scared of a little Bunny Rabbit?" Tristan was laughing so hard that he had to wipe the tears out of his eyes.

"Tristan! It's not funny! I have a reason!"

"Oh, yeah? What's your reasoning?" I glared at him for laughing at me.

"A couple of years ago, me and my mom were sitting at the end of my great-grandmas driveway. It was dark and we sit out there so we don't get bit up. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw something running towards me. I didn't know what it was because it was dark. I started crying and screaming. My mom kept asking me what, but I wouldn't answer. Finally, I told her that something was running towards me. When she looked behind her, she started dieing of laughter. It was a Rabbit!" I told him. He did the same thing my mom did, died of laughter. I elbowed him in the rib to make him stop, but it didn't work.  
I was about to punch him when he finally stopped laughing.

"Humans have very strange fears." He told me. I just shook my head and started walking again. I was starting to get tired again. But when we got to the motley folks camp, I ran. I didn't see Dustfinger or Farid. It looked like everyone was awake.

I bet Dustfinger told them that I was missing. Prince was the first one to see me.

"Lexi! Doria, go to the castle and tell Dustfinger that Lexi came here!" Prince said. When I was right in front of him, I smiled.

"Well, I guess this is deja vu."

Right then, I passed out because I was so tired.

* * *

When I woke up, my eyes shut, I felt heat. I think It's body heat. And. . .

Someones stroking my hair. It feels so nice. If I open my eyes, this moment would stop, but I want to know who it is and I also have to pee like a freaking race horse.

I slowly opened my eyes to at least see where I was. The thing that I saw scared me to death, though.

Everything here was black.

I sat up and scanned everything. The one who was stroking my hair was Tristan.

"Good morning sleepy head."

"Tristan? Where are we?"

"In one of those dreams where you dream of nothing." He told me. I laid my head back down on Tristan's lap.

"Okay. . . Can you stroke my hair again, please? It felt so good." I told him. He smiled and started stroking my hair again. "Tristan? Why am I the one who you love?"

"I don't know. . . That's just how it is. . . Now, if you go back to sleep, then you'll wake up in the inkworld." Tristan whispered in my ea


	17. Chapter 17

"Lexi. . . Lexi, time to wake up."

I shot up and ran into a patch of trees. When I came back out, my bladder was empty and I was more awake. I noticed that I was in the camp today. The first person I saw was Farid. I slowly walked over to him, scared that he would be mad at me, but he wasn't. I went up right behind him and wrapped my arms around his neck.

But, he acted as if it had never happened last night. How weird.

"Good morning, Lexi."

"Morning. . . Where's Dustfinger?" I ask. Farid pointed to princes tent.

I stood up and snicked into the tent. When I was right behind Dustfinger, getting ready to scare him by wrapping my arms around him neck, in a flash, I was laying on the floor with Dustfinger's blue eyes staring down into my blue-gray ones. He knocked the air out of me.

"I can't believe you." Dustfinger told me. I tried to push him off of me, but I wasn't strong enough.

"What can't you believe about me? That I met two dudes from books? That I came into one of my favorite books? Or do you mean the part where my new friend is a Shadowman who wants to kill my crush if I don't want to do what he wants?" I ask, but shut up and covered my mouth to stop from saying anymore. He got off of me and sat next to me.

"No. . . I meant that I can't believe that you would leave with a stranger and get lost in the wayless woods. You know I didn't mean any of that other stuff." Dustfinger told me. I looked up at him. Then, I sat in front of him, pinching his cheeks and make him smile.

"Come on! At least let me see you smile. . . You never smile around. . . Wait, let me take that back. . . The last time I saw you smile and heard you laugh was when I told you my fear." I didn't smile back. I was still tired. I fell backwards, Gwin crawled onto my chest and stared down at me. I gently petted the top of his little head. "Yes, Gwin. . . I'm still alive." I whispered to him.

He's just so darn cute! I lifted my head up to look at Dustfinger, to see him staring back at me. I sat up, holding Gwin, and grinned at him.

"What?"

"I am hungry!" I yelled at him! He just shook his head, dug in his backpack, then threw me a peach. My favorite!

"Oh! Thanks Dustfinger!" I said as I sank my teeth into it. It was so good. But. . . I was done with it in no time. "That peach was good! Thanks, Dustfinger!" I said, happily.

"Now. . . I don't know what all this is about, but I think it's really boring." A voice said from the opening of the tent. I whipped my head around to look and saw Tristan. Well, since almost everyone knows about him, I'll be seeing him a lot more.

"Tristan!" I yelled while getting up and tackling him to the ground. I did just see him not too long ago, but still, it's Tristan.

"Lexi. . . Your really weird. The last couple of times that I've seen you, your really mad at me and hate me, but. . . Now, your happy to see me. Why?" Tristan said.

I smiled at him.

"Because I'm weird and have mixed feelings like that." I told him. I looked back to see Dustfinger glaring at us, but looked away when he noticed me looking at him. I let my smile disappear and hid my face in Tristan's chest. I didn't even know I was doing it until I felt a hand on my head.

My head shot up and I was staring at one white and the other black eye.

"What's wrong?"

My smile came back just in time.

"Nothing. . . So. . ." I was trying to speak without worrying about what Dustfinger is thinking about me at this moment. I got off of Tristan, helped him up and dragged him off.

"Dustfinger! I'm going for a walk!" I yelled.

When I looked, he just waved me off. My smile disappeared for a little bit. I wasn't feeling mad or sad. . . I don't know how I felt.

But I don't like it. I must not have been paying attention because the next thing I knew, I was on Tristan's back.

"Wha-. . . Tristan! What are you doing?"

"Carrying you. . . You will fall if your not watching where your going."

"Okay. . . Just be careful where you touch me because of wound." I told him. He nodded and just kept on walking.

I didn't say anything for a while. Tristan had to say something.

"So. . . What did you think of 'The Forbidden Game'?" He ask me. I giggled a little bit.

"What's so funny?"

"Nothing. . . It's just that you would say that because your from that book. . . And The Forbidden Game was one of my favorites." I said. And right then, my tummy growled.

Tristan stopped in his tracks.

"Do I need to get you something to eat?"

"No. . . But, if I were you, I would get me something to drink. . . No water!" I told him.

He nodded, but froze.

"What else would I get you to drink? There's only water."

I grinned.

"I don't know. Can you make some soda or something good appear?"

Tristan dropped me and I fell on my butt. I glared up at him, but he wasn't there.

"What the heck, Tristan? Did I scare you off or something?" I ask nothing. I hate it how Tristan has the power to do that. Now I know how it feels. I got back up and when I did, someone tapped me on the shoulder. My first instinct was to punch whoever it was in the face. I stopped myself before I had the chance to punch Tristan.

"You stupid idiot! You should have learned not to do that to me!"

"I know now. . . Here." He handed me a bottle of Pepsi.

I blinked. I looked at the bottle, then at him, then back again.

"Where in the world did you find this?!" Tristan flinched away when I yelled.

"Does that matter? I got you a drink, didn't I?" I glared at him, but nodded.

"You could get stuff from my world all along, but you never told me?"

"Your wrong. This is the book you read INKHEART, not the one from Mo and Meggie's world.

So, I could just go to they're world, not your world." He told me. The soda hit the spot so well, I downed it in seconds. I hadn't had soda in forever. After I was done, I hugged Tristan, and belched.

"Excuse me. . . Thank you, thank you, thank you! That was so good!" I said. He just smoothed my hair. I loved it when Tristan did that. But, then, I remembered something.

"Tristan? Whatever happened to my friend, Liadan?"

"Who? Oh. . . The one who you were with yesterday. . . Right?" I nodded. "Well, she got taken back to the castle."

"Oh. . . Well, can we go? I want to make sure she's okay."

I already planned it out; Tristan says no, I give him puppy-dog eyes, Tristan says yes.

"Sure." He said. I started to give him my puppy-dog eyes.

"But, Tristan. . . What? Did you just say yes?" He nodded. Tristan started to walk off while leaving me to stand there staring after him. I ran after him.

"Tristan! Wait for me!" I yelled.


	18. Chapter 18

One hour later and me and Tristan were standing in front of the castle.

Forty out of those sixty minuets were me and Tristan trying to get inside, but the knights wouldn't let Tristan in even with me. They would let me in and not him. So not fair.

I was about to push passed them, get someone from inside so we both could go in. Or just-. . . I know what I could do.

I got an evil grin on my face. I tried to hide it. I looked up at him and he knew what I was thinking. I grabbed hold of Tristan's hand and shrugged.

"All, well. . . I guess we're not going inside today." I said as we turned around. We took one, two, three steps before. . . ZOOM! We turned back around and started running, even past the knights.

Of course they went running after us, but we kept running.

"Ha ha ha! You can't get us! You can't get us!" I yelled, but when I looked behind me, I saw even more then just two knights chasing us. "Ep!" I sped up even more. Tristan stopped, got me on his back and started running, again.

"Is this better, Milady?" I gripped his shoulder with one hand while I punched the air with the other one.

"Whoo-hoo!" I yelled. I, then, secretly put my hand to my side. It was hurting from the running, but it wasn't going to stop me. When we got close enough for Fenoglio and Balbulus could hear us, they came out.

"What is going on out here?" Balbulus ask before he saw everyone running towards them.

"Fenoglio! Help us!" After Tristan ran pass him, Fenoglio stood in front of all those knights.

"Stop! I know them! Shouldn't there be someone in front of the gate?" They all stopped, stared and just stood there. "Do you want me to tell the Queen?!" That's when they all went running back to they're stands. I slid down off of Tristan's back.

"Thanks, Fenoglio. . . That really helped."

"Your welcome. . . By the way, who is your friend?" I giggled. He saved mine and Tristan's butts, but he doesn't even know who Tristan is.

"This is Tristan. . . Since you know about everything, I can tell you who he is. I read him out of some books called 'The Forbidden Game' and I don't feel like reading him back in so I now have to deal with him trying to get with me." I told him.

Tristan glared at me and elbowed me.

"Lexi? What are you doing here?" A voice from behind me ask, and for once, it wasn't a males voice.

I spun around to see Liadan. I gasped and lunched at her. She fell backwards onto the floor, but she had books in her hands. She dropped all of them, but one which went up instead of down. And it came down, it almost landed on my head if it wasn't for Tristan who caught it right before it landed on my head.

I looked up at him with a very, very happy smile.

"Thanks, Tristan!" I looked back under me to see Liadan's shocked face. "Hi! Are you okay? I hope the Nightmares didn't hurt you!" I said, still smiling. She looked at Tristan, who's still holding the book, then back at me.

"What the hell?! One; You act like a book almost falling on your head didn't just happen, and two; There were Nightmares? All I knew was that I woke up while Tristan was carrying me here. . . Which, by the way, is hot and I didn't mind." She said. I giggled. I got off of her and we walked while I told what all happened last night while she slept.

After I told her everything, she was just staring at me. I whispered something in Tristan's ear.

He grinned. He, then, walked over to her, bent down a little and whispered something in her ear. I was giggling the whole time. After he whispered in her ear, at first she lifted an eyebrow, then she started to laugh. I wanted to know what he said because I just told him to whisper something funny in her ear.

"Liadan!What did he tell you? I wanna know!" I yelled happily. She was doubling over from laughter. When I heard yelling, though, all the funny and happiness disappeared out of everything around me.

I turned around because it was coming from behind me, but when I did, I saw a very, very mad Dustfinger.

"Lexi!" He yelled. This had to be the first time ever that I was scared of him. I was really scared of Dustfinger. I was so scared that I wanted to hide behind Tristan or at least look away, but I couldn't. I was frozen by the look on his face. I was really paralyzed. I wanted to cry. I wanted to do anything other then just stand here frozen by fear. It was all I could do to not let the tears fall.

"Lexi! This is the second time you have ran off!"

"But, Dustfinger-"

"I have had it with you! Am I going to have to put you on a leash or-"

"Hey! Stop yelling at her! She didn't do anything wrong! She told you that she was going for a walk and it's not like she was alone." Tristan stood up for me. He had stepped in front of me, while holding my hand. I gasped.

The reason Tristan was holding my hand was because I was shaking. I pulled my hand out of his, walked out from behind him and smiled at him sweetly.

"It's okay, Tristan. . . It's my own fault. . . I told him that I was going for a walk, but I didn't tell him that I was going to the castle." I told him. I waved at Liadan and left with Dustfinger.  
Our whole walk was silent. I think Dustfinger was too mad and I was being too shy.


	19. Chapter 19

Today was chilly, so I was happy to be wearing this dress, but it was really starting to annoy me because I kept tripping on the hem. As soon as we got back, I ran into the tent, grabbed my backpack, ran back out and went up into my favorite tree.

I sat on a branch and started writing in my notebook. Either no one knew I was up here or they didn't want to talk to me because they knew I wanted to be left alone. I hadn't seen Tristan since I left the castle, which was a few hours ago.

The sun was starting to set and I was starting to doze while watching everyone down below.

I yawned.

I was also starting to get hungry. I didn't want to climb down because I didn't feel like it, but I finally did because I didn't want to fall out of the tree went I fell asleep. I was still in my dress, but I wanted it off. So, I went into Princes tent and tried to get it off. I couldn't.

"AH! Stupid dress!" I yelled. I stomped out of the tent, stopped, looked for Dustfinger and stomped over to him when I finally found him. He was sitting by the fire on a log next to Prince. I knelt behind him, grabbed his hand and put it on my back. He just stared at me.

"Undo this stupid dress! I hate it! And it won't come off!" I yelled at him.

He turned around and undid it. Even though I was really mad, I still felt my face heat up when I felt his fingers brush my back as he undid my buttons. When he was done, I stood up and ran into the tent, threw off the dress and put on a pair of short pajama shorts, a tank-top and a T-shirt. I walked back out, barefoot, and walked over to sit next to Dustfinger. I just stared at the fire without saying a word.

I wonder what my mom is doing. I zoned out. But I snapped out of it when someone poked my cheek. I jumped and looked at who did it to see Farid.

"Oh. . . Hi, Farid. . . What's up?"

He cocked his head to one side to stare at me.

"What's wrong? Your acting strange."

"I'm fine, just tired. What are you doing?" I ask him. He got right up in my face and studied me.

"Are you tired?" He ask me.

I just nodded with a weak smile, even though I would be yelling at him right now for not listening to me since I just told him that.

"I am. . . Why?"

"Because, I didn't see when Dustfinger brought you back." I leaned forward and laid my forehead on his shoulder. I yawned. I heard Farid talking, but I didn't know what he was saying because, then, I fell asleep.

* * *

I hate people. Mostly when they wake me up when I was asleep and in a good dream, too.

"Lexi. . . Wake up! We have to go! There's a lot of bandits attacking the camp!" A voice told me. My eyes snapped open and I shot up straight. I looked sleepily at Farid.

"Huh?"

Farid grabbed my arm, pulling me, trying to get me up." Come on! Dustfinger told me to get you away from here!" He whispered. I looked up at him with shock.

"Are you playing with me? If you are, then let me sleep." Farid shook his head.

"I am not playing. . . It's true. Now, come on!" He whispered. I finally listened to him.

I let him lead me outside and saw what he told me was happening. I was scared. I clung to him as much as I could. But when Farid was guiding me somewhere to hide, I saw a glimpse of white hair. I froze, making Farid stop since I was holding onto him. Then, something popped into my head.

"Dustfinger. . ." I whispered.

"What?"

"Dustfinger. . . Dustfinger! I gotta find him! Dustfinger! I need you!" I yelled.

I went running into the crowd of people, leaving Farid all alone. I pushed through people, just in my T-shirt and short shorts. I was getting really worried about him. If I didn't find him soon, I was going to start crying.

Then, I saw fire above everyone's heads.

"Dustfinger! Dustfinger, say my name if you hear me!"

"Alexia Sanada! What are you doing?! I thought I told Farid to get you out of here!" He yelled at me as he stood behind me with his arms around me so I would be safe. Fire whooshed up in front of me and blasted the bad guy's back because it scared them.

I giggled.

"How can you laugh at a time like this?"

I looked up at Dustfinger.

"For one; The look on they're faces was funny. Two; The fire was awesome and three; That was not a 'Laugh'. That was a giggle." I told him. When I looked back out at everyone, I saw another glimpse of white hair. I broke out of Dustfinger's embrace and started running towards the white hair.

"Lexi! Where do you think your going?!" Dustfinger tried to grab me, but I dodged him. I went running.

If not Dustfinger, then who? Tristan was taking the price that I owe him for bringing me here, and I think he might still be mad at me for yelling at him for kissing me. He knows how much I love Dustfinger, but he's not going after him, then who? I was following him. But I stopped when I felt someone grab my wrist.

I twisted around to stare up at the face of a man with tanned skin, brown eyes and black hair. There was also a long, pale scar running along his left cheekbone.

He grinned down at me.

"Well, well, well. . . Aren't you a cute one. I could think of a lot of thing's to do with you."

I was scared. This man was one of the bandits. But someone stabbed him. I wanted to scream out, but I couldn't, when the man fell to the ground, motionless, I looked up at who stabbed him to see The Black Prince. When I saw who it was, I was so happy.

"Are you alright? Did he do anything to you?"

"No. . . But, have you seen Tristan, anywhere?"

He shook his head.

"Lexi. . . You should forget about him and go find Farid so you can hide."

I shook my head.

"I can't. . . I need to find Tristan before he does something real bed." I told him. He just shook his head and pushed me toward the woods. I pouted and started walking. I hadn't seen Tristan for awhile, so maybe it wasn't him. When I was behind the tents, I froze.

What if it wasn't Dustfinger that Tristan was going after?

I started running.

"Farid? Farid! Farid, where are you?!" I screamed. I hate running, but I was running as fast as I could right now.

Why didn't I think about it sooner? If Tristan kills Farid, I won't only hate Tristan, I will also hate myself for not thinking sooner and for wanting to come here in the first place, risking his and Dustfinger's life in the first place.

Why is it that I would cry for the oddest reasons, but when it comes to the worst time, I can't cry


	20. Chapter 20

I was running and running and running.

"Lexi! Lexi!" I heard Farid yelling. I tripped over a tree root, but I just got back up and started running again. Ignoring the warm and sticky blood running down my leg from my skinned knee. My wound on my side started to open and bleed again, too. I was too worried about Farid to even know about the blood or pain.

I was following Farid's yells for help, but they were starting to grow silent. When I could no longer hear him, my running started to slow. Tears were running down my cheeks as I fell to the ground, as silent as the trees.

I just sat there, feeling lost.

I heard yelling again, but it was coming from everyone who was looking for me. I was making no sound, even when they found me.

Bear and Gwin were the first ones who found me, they guided some of the others towards me. I rode on Bears back to the camp.

I was taken to Prince's tent, but before I was taken in, Dustfinger came out.

"Lexi! Where have you. . . Wait, where is Farid?" He ask me.

I looked up at him and the tears started falling again.

"It's all my fault. . . I'm sorry! If I hadn't been stupid and left him all alone, then he wouldn't be. . . I shouldn't have even come here!" I cried. I hugged Dustfinger when he came over to me and knelt on the grass in front of me. I, then, heard a yell from inside the tent that Dustfinger came out of.

Prince came out.

"Dustfinger. . . I need you back in here." Dustfinger carried me in there since I had twisted my ankle, but who was in there was a man that I didn't know. I wiped my eyes and stared at him.

"Tell us who sent you here." Prince told the man.

I slid down from Dustfinger and limped over to the man. I glared at him.

"Tell me who sent you or you will regret it." I told him. No answer, so I grabbed his arm and stared at it. "You sure your not going to tell me?" He shook his head, so I bent down, got part of his arm in my mouth and bit down as hard as I could. When I got mad enough, I will bit because of how much I love vampires.

At first, he didn't care, but then I kept on biting harder until he started to try and make me let go of him.

"Tell Her to let go!" He yelled, But no one listened and I bit down so hard that I could taste the saltiness of his blood, but that did not stop me.

When he still wouldn't tell, my foot went between his legs as hard as I could make my foot go. That finally got him to talk.

"Fine! The one who sent us was a man! More like a young man. . . He had white hair and-"

"Tristan. . . Did Tristan send you?"I ask the man. He just stared at me, hoping I would stop biting him and kicking him in a guys soft spot. "Was it Tristan?!" I yelled at him, getting ready to bite his arm, again.

"No! Please don't do it again! Yes! His name was Tristan, now please don't bite me like a demon!" He yelled.

I stood up, but flinched, forgetting that I had twisted my stupid ankle. That did not stop me, though. Instead, I kept walking out of the tent. I got on Bear after I found him and started to ride off until Dustfinger stopped me by grabbing my wrist.

"Where do you think your going? You twisted your ankle, your knee is bleeding and your side is bleeding real badly."

"I have to do something, and. . . I want you and Prince to do whatever you can to learn where Tristan is. Please, I want to save Farid and I will do anything to do it." I told him.

He let go of me and nodded.

Bear started running. I held on the best I could while losing blood. As we were working our way to the castle, I kept warning people to stay out of our way. When we got there, we went right through the gate.

"Come on, Bear! Faster!" I yelled. The knights were running after us, but when we couldn't go anywhere else, he froze.

"Girl! What are you doing in here with a bear?" One of them ask.

"I came to see the Queen. . . I want to see Violante!" I stood in my place. I didn't want them to see that I was weak. . . Or even scared. Then, I heard yelling.

"Move, move, move! Get out of my way!" A females voice yelled at them. I looked at who it was to see Liadan.

"Liadan! I'm happy to-" I fell the floor while clutching my wounded side. She appeared right in front of me, holding me up so I wouldn't be too scared to be alone.

She turned to face the knights while being really angry with them.

"Why are you just standing there?! Don't you see that she is hurt badly?! Go get someone who will help or go back to your posts!" She yelled. They started running all over the place.

They reminded me of the card knights from 'Alice in Wonderland'. "Lexi. . . What the hell is wrong with you? Why are you so injured like this with Bear and without a guy by your side?" She ask me. I stood up and tried walking, but fell on my knees and got blood on the floor while also reopening my wounded knee.

"I gotta talk to Violante. . . I have to save Farid. . . Please, you gotta help me." I whispered.

I looked up at her. Bear just nudged my cheek, making sure I was fine. I wrapped one arm around him.

Liadan walked over, climbed on Bear and held out her hand to me.

"Come on. . . I don't think she would turn away someone who's covered in blood and riding in on a bear." She told me. I got on Bear with her and we rode off.


	21. Chapter 21

I was warning people again, but if they didn't listen, then it was they're own fault if they get ran over by a big black bear. When we burst into the throne room, I saw her highness and four other faces, three of them I recognized, but the last one I didn't.

I gasped.

Knights tried to stop us, but Violante stopped them.

"Stop! Leave her alone!"I got off Bear and slowly walked over to the throne until I got stopped, again. I bowed. I might not be from here, but I do know what to do before speaking to a Queen. "Raise your head and please tell me why have come."

I looked at her. She was very beautiful, just like the books had said she was. She did not even have that big, ugly mark on her face.

"Your majesty. . . A friend of mine has been kidnapped. His name is Farid. I was hoping that you would help me get him back. . . Would you please help me. . . ? Even if you just sent a Bluejay." I glanced over at the man who was standing with his family.

Yes. Mo, Meggie and Resa were there with a little boy, who I assumed is they're three year old son. I turned towards Mo to look at him better.

"Yes. . . I know who you are, but I don't know the name of your son. . . But, Mo, please. . . I need your help, could you please help me get Farid back?" I ask him. Resa took hold of his arm, willing him to say no.

"And what's so bad about this young man getting 'Kidnapped'?" Violante ask me. So, she did remember Farid. And by the way Meggie was staring at me, I think she's worried about him.

"The one who kidnapped him is. . . Was a friend of mine. . . His name is Tristan and he. . . Well, he's very hard at catching." I told her. "And he. . . He may or may not have come out of a book. . ." I glanced at Mo. He was looking at me oddly.

"What is your name?" He ask.

"You can call me Lexi. . . And Dustfinger and Prince are trying to find out where they are. Please, help me. I have a plan, but I need your help. Mo, would you help me?"

"No, Mo. . . You can't. . . It's bad enough that you are the Bluejay!" Resa told him. Mo came walking over to me, ignoring his wife.

"I'll help you. . . What do you need me to do?"

"But, Mo-"

"Resa. . . This is Farid she's talking about. . . He has helped us so many times, it's our time to save him since he's in danger."

Meggie came walking over to us, just then.

"I want to help, too. . . Tell us your plan, Lexi."

I looked at her.

"Alright. . . What shall I do to help?"

I looked at Violante and smiled at them all.

* * *

"Are you serious? You can't do that! Your nuts if you think we're going to do that!" Mo yelled.

Violante promised me to let me use some of her knights. Now me, Meggie and Mo were walking back to camp with Liadan riding on Bear. I had told them my plan and none of them liked it.

"Lexi! He's right! You can't do this!" Liadan yelled.

"I know, I know. . . But, I'll do what I have to so Farid can be safe." I told them. Before anyone else could yell at me, Dustfinger came running. He slowed down when he saw who I had with me. He stared at Mo and Meggie before looking at me.

"Lexi. . . We know where they are. . . And why are they with you?"

I gasped, ignoring his second question.

"Where?"

He glared at me since I didn't answer why I had them with me.

"The castle where Violante grew up." I looked down at the dirt road.

"The castle in the lake. . . Where the giants used to look into the lake as if it were a giant mirror. . . Does anyone remember how to get there?" I ask, looking at Dustfinger, then Mo, then Meggie. I puffed out my cheeks since no one was answering me and went running to the camp, leaving Dustfinger and everybody else to walk back to camp without me.

When I got there, I ran into the tent, found my backpack and dug in it to find my notebook and a pencil. After I found them, I started writing. I wrote stuff in it and when I was done, I ran out to find Meggie. When I found her, I ran to her and gave her my paper to read. She onced over it, smiled and read. It was just me and Meggie, but after she read, Mo came walking over to us.

"Lexi. . . I know the way. . . So, come on and let's go." Me and Meggie started laughing. Mo just stared st us, wondering why we were laughing at him. "Why are you laughing?"

"Because. . . No one knew the way to the castle, so when I came running here. . . I wrote somethings in my notebook, then gave it to Meggie and after she read it, you remembered how to get there." I nodded, but my smile faded. "We'll leave tonight not long after the sun sets. . ." I trailed off and walked off into the woods. I walked pretty far until I realized where I was.

I didn't care, so I just plopped down on the grass. I looked at my knee which had stopped bleeding, but it was covered in dried blood and dirt. I laid back until I was flat on the ground.

I could now see the afternoon sky, as blue as it could ever be, but in no way did it make me feel any better.

"Ah!" I screamed, feeling the tears well up in my eyes.

"Why are you screaming, Sweet Cheeks?" When I heard that voice, I wanted to kill. I moved as fast as I could to my hands and my knees with one leg out to the side, glaring up at him. He just smirked. "Oh? What's wrong?"

"You! You are what's wrong! Why did you take Farid?!" I hissed at Tristan. His smile vanished.

"Now, now. . . He's fine. . . For now, at least. Just so you do know, this isn't like other stories where I give you a time limit and if you get there by then, he lives or if you don't get there in time, I kill him. . . No, no matter what you do, he's dying tomorrow night at midnight."

"What can I do so you don't kill him? I will do anything." I told him, letting down my guard.

In a flash, I was up against a tree, Tristan pinning me there and he was the only thing holding me up because my feet weren't touching the ground.

'Stupid. . . Why did you let your guard down so easily?' I thought.

His face was now so close to mine that I could smell his breath which smelled like peppermints.

"If you gave up Dustfinger and came with me, promise that you would never see either of them again. I would not even hurt a hair on his little head."


	22. Chapter 22

"If you gave up Dustfinger and came with me, promise that you would never see either of them again. I would not even hurt a hair on his little head."

I shook my head.

"Never. . . I wouldn't even do that if you were the last man on earth." I snarled at him, but then he put his hand on my bleeding side. I flinch from the pain and tried to recover from it, but I could. He felt the wetness. He looked at his hand to see it red with blood. I was still gasping from pain when he looked at my face. I almost passed out from the pain because it was so bad.

"Your bleeding again. . . Why?"

"Because of you. . . Me running to find and save Farid caused all this blood, you jerk." I told him. He looked me in the eyes and got as close as he could without our lips touching.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk. . . Oh, come on. . . I'm not the one who made you run."

I smiled up at him.

"Your lucky that I'm such a good girl that I don't cuss because I can think of a lot of names to be calling you right now." I whispered to him.

"Ha." Tristan chuckled. "Your lucky that I still have feelings for you or you would be a dead girl right now."

Then, out of the corner of my eye, I saw something move. I rolled my eyes so I could see who it was without him wondering what I was looking at. I was shocked by who I saw. It was Mo and Dustfinger.

I focused back on Tristan while moving my hand so they knew to stay away. They weren't listening. Then, the next thing I knew, Tristan's lips were on mine. I gasped. I moved my eyes to look at Dustfinger and he was frozen. When Tristan was pulling away, I had to think of something to do so he wouldn't see them, so I pulled him back to me and started kissing him.

Tristan was shocked, but he just kissed me back.

I hate this. The only reason I'm doing this is because I want to keep Mo and Dustfinger safe.

Tristan's happy that he finally didn't have to kiss me first. I was the one who was kissing him. . .

But I wasn't enjoying it at all. I still think Dustfinger and Farid are a lot better kissers.

Tristan's grip on me loosened around me and I had to wrap my arms around his neck so I wouldn't fall.

My eyes were closed, so when I heard a thud, it scared me half to death. My eyes flashed open to look to see the one who I was just kissing on the ground and Mo standing above him with a big branch in his hands. I collapsed to the soft grass from pain, blood loss and shock. Dustfinger was on his knees next to me in no time.

"Lexi. . . Are you alright?" I slowly nodded as he wrapped me in his arms to pick me up.

"Come on. . . Let's get back to camp before they get too worried." I heard Dustfinger say.

I laid my head on his chest, still really tired. I wanted to stay awake, but I was just too tired.

"Lexi. . . You can go to sleep, I promise that no one will hurt you." I faintly heard Dustfinger whisper. After I heard that, I was out cold for who knows how long.

* * *

I was awoken by a little furry head rubbing against my cheek. My eyes slowly opened to reveal not only Gwin, but someone laying beside me.

I gasped and sat up when I realized who it was.

Farid was there, sleeping right next to me.

"Fa-" I started to say, but stopped when I realized that I was seeing thing's and it wasn't really Farid. Dustfinger's eyes slowly opened to see me sitting there about to cry.

I was trying not to cry, but the tears were in my eyes and I didn't want to let them go.

I starred down at my hands, trying to focus on them so I wouldn't cry, but then someone else put they're hand on mine.

"Lexi. . . What's wrong?"

I couldn't hold them back any longer. I finally let the tears lose and jumped on him in a hug.

"Farid. . . I thought I saw Farid. . . I don't want him to die. . ." I cried into his chest. He just wrapped his arms around me, stroked my hair and tried to comfort me. It at least took half an hour to an hour for me to stop.

When I stopped crying is when I finally let them clean my wounds and fix them up. I could see Liadan while Dustfinger was sitting by me. She was staring at Dustfinger and I knew it.

And, just to be mean, I wrapped my arms around Dustfinger's waist while my knee was getting cleaned.

"Dustfinger. . . Ow! That hurts! Owie!" I yelled in a baby voice. I looked at Liadan to see her glaring at me and she even mouthed 'You bitch.'

I couldn't help but giggle. I didn't care that Dustfinger thought I was weird because I wasn't thinking about Farid.

But all that happiness disappeared when I found out that everyone was getting ready to leave for the castle in the lake.

Prince kept telling me to sit until we were ready to go. He didn't want me to start bleeding, again. And even when we were leaving they wouldn't let me walk. I ended up riding on Bear along with Meggie. Liadan was walking next to us, though.

Meggie and Liadan kept switching it up. I was writing in my notebook so Meggie could read.

Her Ugliness had sent a lot of her knights. We kept going for awhile until we were very close to the castle, close enough to see it above the trees. We had stopped to rest, but I kidnapped Meggie and Liadan for a special thing. If I brought anyone else, they would stop us.

I had written a lot, now all I needed was for Meggie to read it all.

"Lexi. . . Are you sure you want me to read this? It's really risky." Meggie ask me.

We were sitting away from everyone else. We were sitting on a big log that had fallen. I nodded. Gwin nudged my hand with his cold little nose. He knew what was going on and he didn't like it in the littlest bit. Meggie started to read as I started to pet Gwin. Liadan hadn't said a word since I took her from everyone.

I looked at her and she looked really upset.

". . . 'And the boy was finally safe, thanks to the girl'." Meggie finished.

"Now. . . Promise that neither of you will tell anyone." They both said 'I promise' and I nodded. We were getting ready to go back to the others, when we heard a loud and weird noise.

We looked at each other and went running, but when we got there, I realized that it had all started.


	23. Chapter 23

There were already bodies laying on the ground. I tried to see if any of them were people I knew, but I couldn't tell because bodies kept falling down, dead and motionless.

I was scared that one of them was going to be Prince, Mo or even Dustfinger.

'I know your not far. . . So, why don't you just come in? Try and save your little boy-toy before midnight tonight?' I heard Tristan's voice say in my head. I gasped and looked around. I couldn't see him anyway, but I had just heard his voice.

"Wait. . . The castle. . . The story. . . Meggie, Liadan! I need you two to watch out for everyone!"

"But, where are you going?"

I looked Liadan in the eyes and took a deep breath.

"No. . . You are not going in there by yourself! You'll-"

"No. . . I have to, what you read is coming true." And I went running towards the castle before anyone had a chance to stop me.

I had to stop Tristan before too many people died. Even if it means that one person will have to die. I burst through the big double doors.

"Tristan! Get your butt down here! Now! You called me here and here I am!" I yelled. I ran through doorways and halls. I froze and glared at Tristan when I found him leaning against a stone wall in the courtyard in the middle of the castle.

He wasn't smiling, he had one foot on the wall and his arms crossed over his chest.

"About time you found me."

"Well, if you would have come to find me then it wouldn't have taken so long." I told him as I walked over to stand by him. "Now, please, let me see Farid one last time. . . If I can't stop you, then I want to see him, again." I ask him.

He just looked at me.

"Are you sure?"

"Of course I am! Why wouldn't I be?!" I yelled.

When I looked at him, he didn't look like he was enjoying this anymore. Tristan got me on his back somehow and started walking. I did still hate him, but I wanted to see Farid and if I didn't let him do this then I probably wouldn't be seeing him ever again. I closed my eyes until I heard a door shut. When I opened my eyes, I saw a jail cell.

I lifted my head to get a better look around. I gasped when I saw a boy with dark hair, asleep with his wrists in shackles on the wall.

"Farid. . ." I whispered. I slowly slid down off of his back and slowly made my way over to him.

I knelt down in front of him and set my hands on his cheeks. His eyes opened so he could look at who was touching him.

"Lexi. . . ?" His eyes widened when he realized that it was me. He tried to move his arms so he could hug me, but the shackles were holding him back. He tried to pull as hard as he could, but it was starting to hurt him.

"Farid. . . Please, stop. . . Your hurting yourself!" I told him.

He stopped and just stared into my blue eyes. It was weird, it didn't look like he was hurt anywhere but his wrists where his binds were cutting into him from trying to get loose.

I helped him up, got him close to the wall and hugged him so he could hug me back. But, when Farid hugged me, I gasped in pain.

"Lexi. . . What happened? Why are you bleeding?"

I smiled softly at him as he pulled away to look at me, but I was only smiling because I didn't want to start crying. The tears were stinging my eyes as I looked at his worried and sad eyes.

"Don't worry." I said as I pulled up my shirt. "It's bandaged." Farid looked down and saw that my ankle was wrapped up, too. I just widened my smile. "I'm fine. I'm just happy to see you, again."

He smiled and laid his lips lightly on mine. It shocked me at first, but then I kissed him back. I was the first to pull back. I turned around and looked at Tristan, who was looking bored. I was scared, but not of Tristan. I was scared of what I was about to do.

"Farid. . . I love you. . . And I want you to tell everyone else that I loved them, too."

"Lexi. . . What are you going to do?" Farid ask from behind me. I didn't answer.

Instead, I walked over to Tristan. I stopped in front of him.

"Tristan. . . I know the only way to kill you, but I don't have the staff so I can't. . . If I trade something else I treasure, will you not kill Farid?" I ask him. Tristan moved some strands of hair out of my eyes and rested his hand on my cheek.

"Maybe. . . But there's nothing else you treasure more then this boys life, except. . . Except your own life. . . You wouldn't do that, now would you?" Tristan said, while staring deeply into my eyes.

He was too busy staring in my eyes that he didn't even notice that I pulled a dagger out of the waist band of my shorts. And it was too late to stop me when Farid yelled.

When Tristan noticed what was in my hands, I had already stabbed myself.

I widened my eyes. Tears started trailing down my face. I fell to the floor, but Tristan caught me.

"Lexi!" I heard Farid yell from afar. I coughed and felt something wet and warm run down from the corner of my mouth. It was also getting harder and harder to breath.  
"Ow. . . How could people do this. . . ? It hurts. . ." I whispered. Tristan's face started to blur, then it cleared again. I heard Farid's chains moving. I assumed he was trying to get loose.

"Lexi! Please, don't die! Tristan! Release me! Please!" Farid yelled.

I mouthed 'Please Tristan' and then I saw Farid over me as well.

"Farid. . . It hurts. . . Please, make it stop. . ."

"Lexi, stop talking. Save your strength."

"Tristan. . . Is there anyway you could get Dustfinger here fast?"

"No. . . If you got him, then I could try to keep her alive for as long as I could."

Farid started to get up until I grabbed his arm. My grip wasn't that tight, but tight enough to make him look at me. Farid knelt back down. Tristan handed me over to Farid as gently as he could and went running.

Farid kept moving the hair out of my face. It got kind of annoying, so I reached up, took his hand and held it.

He looked down at the dagger sticking out of my belly. I turned my head to cough and saw that I was coughing up blood. I looked at the blood that was on the floor, then looked back up at Farid.

I was scared.

He whipped away some of the blood off my mouth, leaned down and laid his lips on mine. He pulled away and looked at me.

I felt something wet drop onto my cheek, when I focused on his face, I realized that Farid was crying.

I reached up a shaky hand to wipe away his tears. The pain was starting to subside and that probably means that I'm going to die soon. I'm loosing all the feeling in my body. I hope Dustfinger gets here before I die. I feel like I'm starting to drift away.

"Farid. . . Please. . . Please make sure that. . . Dustfinger doesn't trade himself to the white women for me. . . Promise?" I whispered.

"No. . . Don't talk like that. . . Your not going to die. Roxane will save you and you'll live and will play with Gwin and we'll go on walks and I can show you more fire tricks and you can sing. . . You will not die." Farid told me.

His voice was starting to crack. He was crying.

He knew what was coming.

My eyes started to get heavy. I couldn't keep them open any longer.

"Lexi. . . Stay awake! You can't go to sleep. . . Don't go to sleep!" I closed my eyes. anyways. I felt something cold and wet touch my cheek. I opened my eyes and saw Gwin. My hand was too heavy to move, but I could smile.

'Gwin. . . That means. . . Dustfinger. . .' I thought. I carefully looked at the doorway and saw him just standing there. 'Dustfinger!' I mouthed. Farid looked at him.

"Dustfinger! Lexi's dieing!" I heard Farid crying from afar. That's weird, I thought he was right next to me.

I closed my eyes, just to rest them. I tried to open them again, but my eyes wouldn't open.

'No. . . Not yet. . . I don't want to die. I'm scared.' I thought.

I could hear Dustfinger and Farid yelling my name.

That's it.

I'm dead.

That's the end of the story. . .

Or is it?


	24. Chapter 24

I was floating in darkness. I looked down at what I was wearing to see a long, flowy white dress. It reached my ankles. I grabbed the hem to lift up the long dress. I looked at my knee, no bandages. I pulled it up higher to look at my belly. No blood and nothing on my side, either.

I had no wounds, at all. My body didn't even hurt.

I felt my hair, it was soft and not puffy like it always was. I would really love it here. . .

If it wasn't for all this darkness.

"Child. . . There's no need to be scared. . . You are not alone." A voice told me. I didn't act shocked in the least bit.

"Are you Death? The same Death that spoke to Mo?" I ask.

"Yes. . . You sound more excited then anything. . . Now, you do know that it wasn't your time, right?"

I looked around me.

"Really?"

"Yes. . . Anyone else, I would keep them here, but since your from another world, I couldn't keep you here. So, would you like to go back?"

"No catch? No else will die because of me? No trick that if I don't do something then I die for sure?" I heard a chuckle from all around me.

"You are a smart girl, but no. You don't got to do anything for me. . . So, you want to go or not?"

I got a big smile on my face.

"I do! I do want to go back!"

"Okay, then. . . Close your eyes and you'll be back."

I nodded and closed my eyes. I didn't feel anything for the longest time, so I opened one eye and saw that I was still in the darkness.

"It's not working." I said.

"That's odd. . . Try again and think about the people you want to see and the place."

I tried that, but it still didn't work. I tried a second time, but nope.

"It's not working! Why won't it work?!" I yelled. Then, I was sitting in a meadow. A white tiger came walking over to me and laid down my me. "Why won't this work?!" I yelled.

"Child. . . It's okay. . . Just calm down. . . I will find out why this is not working." I leaned down, wrapped my arms around the white tigers neck and buried my face in her fur. She put a paw on my back like she was hugging me.

"I know that I did this not thinking that I would come back, but when you told me that I could, I got so happy. But when it wouldn't work, my heart just broke and I realized that I would never see my family, Farid or anyone ever again." I cried.

"I know. . . Now, rest while I find out why it is not working. When you awake, I shall be back." She told me. I nodded and closed my eyes.

* * *

When I woke up, I could still feel her softness.

"Did you find out yet?" I ask her.

"So, your awake. . . It turns out that your body is too damaged." I sat up and looked at her.

"How long until I can go back? I am going back, right?"

"I don't know. . . There's only one way I know that you can go back and that is without your real body." She told me. I looked at her sadly.

"What? I won't be in my real body? Am I going to be a ghost?" I ask, about to cry. She licked my cheek.

"No ghost. . . You can go back, but I have to go with you. . . Is that alright with you?"

I nodded.

"I'm alright with anything as long as I can see everyone again." I told her. I, then, wrapped my arms around her neck. "Oh, thank you, Death! Thank you so much!"

"Please. . . You should not call me that while we're in your- I mean when we're with your friends, alright?"

"Okay. . . But, what shall I call you? What animal will you be?" I ask. Even though she's a white tiger, it looked as if she was smiling.

"Well, what animal do you wish me to be?" She ask. I sat there thinking. When I got an idea, I got a big smile.

"I wish you to be a black or black and purple butterfly!" I told her. She nodded. I closed my eyes, then opened them again. Everything was the same. "Eh?"

"Child, I have to bring you back, which I need to go first. Then, you will come." I smiled and nodded.

"Okay. . . But, please don't take too long."

She nodded, then disappeared. I sat there for a little bit, waiting. . .

Until I started getting tired. I laid down and went to sleep.

* * *

"Child. . . My child, it is time to wake up." Death whispered.

I opened my eyes to see a black and purple butterfly on a leaf in front of my face. I smiled.

"Hello. . . Lucy."

"Lucy? Why that name?"

"Because, it's the first thing that popped into my head." She sighed. I giggled as I sat up. I looked around. "Where are we?"

"I do not know. . . I was hopping that you might know."

I thought about everything I was seeing until I finally straightened up.

"I know!" I yelled as I got up and started running as fast as I could. Lucy flew up to me, landed on my shoulder and hung on. "Dang it! I'm barefoot!" I whispered. The thing's that were under my feet were hurting without shoes. When I burst out of the trees, I saw the motley folks camp.

I laughed and smiled as wide as I could.

"Now. . . I may or may not talk around people, but when we're alone, I might."

"Okay." I said. I was just happy that I was back. When I stopped, I was freezing. I ran into camp and stopped to look around for anyone I knew. The first person I saw was Prince. "Prince!" I yelled. His head popped up to look at me. He looked at me with total shock. He looked like he had seen a ghost.

I ran over to him and gave him a huge hug that almost knocked him backwards. I giggled like a two year old.

"But. . . Lexi. . . It can't be. . . You have been dead for two or three months. . . Are you a-"

A ghost? No. I am very much human and alive. . . Where's Dustfinger and Farid?" I ask. His face turned to a sad one real quick.

"Farid's with Dustfinger and Dustfinger's at Roxane's House. They haven't left there since you died. Neither of them will even do any tricks. Roxane says that they are both very depressed." Prince told me. I looked at him sadly. I got off and sat next to him.

"Really? I have to get to them. . . I have to let them know that I'm not dead." I stood up, getting ready to run, but Prince grabbed my wrist before I could run.

"Wait."

"What?"

"What about your-"

Before he could finish, I had already pulled up my dress, showing him not only my knee, but also my side and belly. And yes, he could see my panties.

"No blood. I'm not hurt at all." I told him.

"But it is cold. It is winter and your in a dress with no sleeves. You'll freeze. . . At least wear this." Prince said while taking off his coat and giving it to me to wear.

"Thanks. . . Well, off I go." I told him as I put it on and started running. When I finally saw Roxane's house, I was freezing. Yeah, I had a coat on, but my feet were still bare. I walked the rest of the way. I opened the gate and went up to her front door. I knocked on the door until I heard someone moving in there.

I just stood there, hoping it wouldn't snow on me. Who answered the door was Roxane. When she saw me, she looked shocked.

"L-. . . Lexi? But I thought you were-"

"Dead, I know. . . Can I please come in? I am barefoot and I am freezing."

"Oh, yeah." She ushered me inside. Her house was nice and warm. Roxane left me to go get some blankets, but I went in search of Dustfinger and Farid.

I opened a door slowly and peeked inside.

I found them! Farid was laying on the bed while Dustfinger sat on the edge of the bed, staring at his hands, once in awhile making flames pop up, then disappear.

I felt so happy to see them. To me, a few hours. To them, a few months. I sneaked in and jumped on Dustfinger.

"Dustfinger!" I yelled, happily. I had knocked him down onto Farid's feet, who sat up and stared at me. I sat up and just sat on Dustfinger's lap. They looked at each other, at me, then back at each other and back at me in total shock.

"Lexi? Are you a ghost?"

I glared at Farid.

"Why does everyone think I'm a ghost? I am not a freaking ghost!" I told him. Farid hugged me and so did Dustfinger. I hugged them both as tight as I could. Then, something popped into my head. I pulled away and looked at them. "What ever happened to Tristan?"

"He disappeared after he got Dustfinger." Farid told me. I looked at him, then I looked at Dustfinger.

"What did you do with my body, anyways? I could have come back sooner, but something had happened to my body." I said.

Dustfinger looked away from me.

"Almost everyone in your world burns they're dead. . . So, I thought. . . You would want that, too."

My jaw dropped.

"You cremated me?!" I yelled. He nodded. I got up and looked down at myself. "Well, I do like this body better. . . I look pretty and my knee, side and belly doesn't hurt anymore." I smiled at him. The next thing I knew, though, Farid was lifting up the hem of my dress. My eyes widened and my cheeks reddened. I then smacked his cheek.

"What was that for?"

"No using puppy-dog eyes on me and your not supposed to look up or lift up girls dresses!" I yelled.

Yeah, I know. . . I lifted up my dress high enough for Prince to see my panties and didn't do anything, but I freak out when Farid barely lifts the hem. I have no clue.

I walked back over to Dustfinger and plopped down on his lap.

"So, you do love Dustfinger and not me. . . I knew it." Farid pouted.

Dustfinger sighed.

"She's not going to fall for that, boy. . . She's smarter then-"

"Aw! Farid, it's okay. . . I saved your life, didn't I?" I babied him. I was sitting on the floor by him, hugging his head close to my chest.

"Well, I guess I was wrong. I guess she is stupid enough to fall for it."

I looked up at him and smiled.

"It's okay, Dustfinger. . . I love you, too!" I told him.

Well, that's the story of how I met Dustfinger and Farid. I now live in the inkworld, but I do wish I could go home sometimes.

And that's it. That's how it ended. . .

Or is it?


End file.
